King of the Sayians
by Teage Dunsten
Summary: This story follows the Mirai timeline as Trunks travels back to his own time having learnt of the existance of his brother Zion. He goes in search of his lost brother only to learn that this version of his brother is nothing like the one he had met be4.
1. Chapter 1

**Ohkay so here's the story from Future Trunks' POV. Zion is darker, more dangerous and a hell of a lot more complicated. Things happen differently but events must still take place. Will Trunks stick by his vow to not let anything that Zion may change his opinion of his brother or will Zion force Trunks to do things he never thought possible let alone capable? Chapter 1 is chapter 5 of Raising Zion.**

Chapter 1.

Trunks stepped into the time machine and waved before he disappeared into the steam of time and space. So many things had happened and he wasn't sure whether he could tell his mother all of it in one go. Certainty was a luxury hard to come by when you lived in a world of death and destruction.

The discovery of Zion had surely been a surprise of enormous magnitudes. He had a big brother out in space somewhere. A very powerful big brother. Where had he been when we had needed him the most?

Trunks opened the piece of paper Zion had given him. It had the same message written on it that Zion had verbally told him. It also had co-ordinates. Trunks wondered what was in the Capsule but he wasn't dumb enough to actually open it inside the time machine.

He shoved thoughts of the capsule aside as he came out of the time stream. He carefully piloted the time machine to the ground and put it back into its capsule form. He tucked the capsule carefully into his jacket pocket next to the other one before taking off into the air.

He ignored the rubble that had once been thriving cities teeming with life. He didn't dare look down. Every time he did he saw something that reminded him of just how much they had lost, a toy, a school play ground, broken houses . . .

He headed towards his own broken home. What had once been a renowned corporation was nothing more than piles of rubble atop nude foundations. Trunks landed and walked to the entrance.

"Mom! I'm home." he called out.

His heart, as always, beat a little faster at the thought of not finding her there, not finding her alive. He walked deeper into the broken house heading towards the lower levels.

"Mom!" he called again.

"Trunks?" came the faint reply.

Trunks headed in that direction. His mom was in the kitchen, making tea. Trunks smiled and hugged her. She laughed happily and hugged him tightly.

"So how was it?" she asked sitting down and offering him a steaming mug of tea.

"It was great. We ran into a few unforeseen problems but with everyone still alive, it went alright." Trunks said vaguely with a smile.

"What problems?" Bulma asked with a tight smile.

Damn, she knew him too well.

"Well, for starters there were two new androids and Goku's heart virus hit right in the middle of a fight with them." Trunks started.

"Oh my! Is he alright?" Bulma exclaimed.

"I'm getting to that. So then everyone was really worried. I mean with Goku down how could we win? Then my father showed up and he transformed in a super Sayian. It was awesome. He took care of the one android but the other one got away. The other android was Dr Gero. It was you who figured it out." Trunks continued.

"Dr Gero! No way." Bulma gasped.

"Yeah, we all figured that he was going to the other androids to let them out but we tried to stop him before he could. We were too late. They killed Dr Gero after he tried to keep them under control. We also found out that there were three androids. It was crazy." Trunks said shaking his head.

"These androids were stronger than ours. This new android was supposed to be really strong but he was different. He didn't act like the others. We tried to fight the androids but they over powered up with ease. They were also only interested in Goku and this interest was what allowed us to live. Vegeta wasn't happy about being beaten." Trunks said with a chuckle.

"They let you live?" Bulma said wonderingly.

"Well yeah, Goku was still alive, not like in our timeline." Trunks explained.

"So things happened differently." Bulma guessed.

"Jip. I couldn't understand why nothing was changing in our world but everything was happening so differently in their timeline. Vegeta was pretty pissed that nothing I had told them was happening the way I had told them it would. Eventually I worked it out with Gohan's help that it was alternate dimensions and not the same one. We had to buy time for Goku to get better and it was like living here all over again. Then there were reports of something else attacking the cities. We had thought it was the androids but they were still trying to find Goku. We went to go and check it out and we learnt of this creature, named Cell. He was made out of all the cells of the best fighters of the universe. He was a part of all of us. He was created by Dr Gero and he had used my time machine to go to the past because I had killed the androids. See he needed the androids to reach his perfect form. He absorbs things. It's disgusting." Trunks said with a shiver.

"Wow. A few unforeseen problems huh." Bulma said in awe.

"Anyways Piccolo had joined with Kami and in his joined state he was about evenly matched with Cell but Cell escaped using Solar Flare. We looked for him but we couldn't find him. All we could do was wait for Goku to get better. We had moved him to Roshi's house but the androids found us. Piccolo then decided to fight android 17 so that he could buy time for Goku. They were pretty much evenly matched but Piccolo was getting tired where android 17 wasn't. Cell showed up then. Piccolo and android 17 teamed up to fight Cell but they were no match. Piccolo was too tired from his earlier fight and Cell absorbed android 17. Android 16 then decided to fight Cell to buy android 18 time to get away but she wouldn't leave without him. Android 16 tried really hard to beat Cell but he was too strong. It looked really bad. Piccolo tried to fight some but he was no good. Cell eventually defeated android 16. Tien showed up and bought Piccolo and the androids time to get away." Trunks continued now fully into the story.

"Amazing. They were teaming up and everything. Cell must have been one tough opponent." Bulma commented fully engrossed into the story as well.

"Somewhere during the fighting Goku had gotten well and he went to Gohan and took him to where Vegeta and I were. He told us about the hyperbolic time chamber, where one day is equivalent to one year. We could get a whole year of training in one day. Vegeta agreed to it so long as he went in first. We were in the time chamber while the fight was going on. When we came out Cell was still looking for android 18. While Goku and Gohan went in Vegeta and I went to fight Cell. Vegeta dominated over Cell. Cell told him that he'd be no match if he was in his perfect form. Vegeta in his arrogant pride let Cell absorb android 18. Krillen was supposed to have destroyed the android but he had developed a crush on her and couldn't do it. Cell in his perfect form was too powerful for Vegeta to defeat. I had to stand by and watch. There was nothing I could do because of his blasted pride." Trunks said emphasising his anger by slamming his fist onto the table.

"Cell toyed with him before finally knocking him out. That's when I stepped in. I was stronger than Cell but not faster. It was something my father had already foreseen and so he had not made the mistake as I had. Cell gave us a grace period to recoup and then fight him again but this time with Goku around. We went back to the lookout and waited for Goku and Gohan to come out. When they did we were all surprised to see that they were both in their super Sayian state. They had found a way to stay in the state constantly to save energy. Vegeta was also pretty mad that Goku was stronger than him again. Goku had some sort of plan. According to him he wasn't strong enough to beat Cell but he knew how it could be done." Trunks said blowing out his breath.

"Really? I suppose he did. Man I wish I could have seen it." Bulma said with a distant smile.

"I had no idea what his plan was but he was adamant. We all showed up to fight Cell but we all knew that only one of us really stood a chance and if that failed then there was only two back up fighters, Vegeta and myself. Oh and Krillen had asked you to fix android 16 so he was there too. Goku fought Cell and they were both doing really well but Goku couldn't win. He surrendered and then to everyone's surprise he told Gohan to fight Cell." Trunks said hesitating, knowing that the next part was about Zion.

"Gohan! No way. So what happened next?" Bulma asked.

They were interrupted by the news broadcast of yet another attack. Trunks was grateful for the distraction. He wasn't sure he was ready to tell his mother about Zion.

"I'm going." Trunks said jumping to his feet and strapping on his sword.

"Be careful and come back alive!" Bulma yelled after him.

Trunks flew to the city. This was what he had always fought for, the chance that he might actually destroy the androids. He could now. He knew it with every fibre of his being. He knew because he was stronger and they were weaker than the other androids. He could do this.

He landed in front of the androids and transformed into super Sayian. It was a short fight after that. Trunks killed the androids with an ease that made him want to cry. If only his father had been able to do it too. Now all he had to do was kill Cell and the nightmare would be over.

He sighed and took off into the air starting at a hover. He spun in the air, feeling lighter than he had in years. He could really breathe again and it was wonderful. He yelled out triumphantly, his power rising in exuberance.

"Mom! Mom, I did it!" Trunks yelled landing outside of his home.

"Trunks! That's amazing." Bulma yelled happily rushing up to him.

Trunks sensed it before she reached him.

"Go back inside mother." he ordered gruffly.

His expression had changed to stern so she didn't argue. She walked back into the house and closed the door with worried eyes. Trunks stood perfectly still, feet slightly apart.

"Come on out Cell, I know you're there." Trunks called out.

At first Cell did not respond but eventually he came out. He was pitifully weak compared to his perfect form.

"So, you are the one that killed my androids." Cell said angrily.

"Yes, it was me and I'm about to kill you too." Trunks replied drawing his sword.

He flew upwards and Cell followed him. They flew to an open terrain. Cell attacked first and Trunks dodged it with an ease that was laughable. The fight was short, like the one with the androids. Trunks did not leave it to chance and destroyed every last piece of the disgusting creature.

He headed back home, knowing that now he would have to tell Bulma about Zion and open the capsule Zion had given him.

"So that was Cell." Bulma said quietly when Trunks landed.

"Yes, that _was_ Cell." Trunks replied looking down.

"What's wrong Trunks?" Bulma asked.

"Well Gohan defeated Cell but not before Vegeta asked Goku to take him somewhere. When they came back they had brought someone with them. Gohan reached an ascended super Sayian state and Cell was defeated but not before Goku gave up his life to save the Earth and I was killed by a surprise attack from Cell." Trunks explained quickly.

"Who was the someone else?" Bulma asked.

"His name is Zion, Vegeta Zion Myles." Trunks replied looking at his mother then.

"He once told me about a person that he had grown up with on Frieza's ship. He was drunk at the time and he was very emotional, but not enough to tell me anything more than that he felt guilty about leaving her." Bulma whispered.

"Zion is his son." Trunks said looking away from his mother.

"What's he like?" Bulma asked after a long moment of silence.

"A lot like Vegeta actually. He's incredibly powerful and man is he smart." Trunks replied.

"I can't imagine a mini Vegeta." Bulma said with a strained chuckle.

"He gave me something." Trunks said digging in his pocket for the capsule.

He clicked it and tossed it to the ground. There was a bang and a space ship stood where once there was nothing.

"Wow, that's really hi tech. You got this from the past?" Bulma asked looking at the ship.

"Well, Zion made it." Trunks muttered rubbing the back of his neck.

"How old was he?" Bulma asked.

"Four, unbelievably." Trunks replied walking closer to the ship.

He took out the piece of paper and looked at the co-ordinates. His expression hardened and he pressed the button to open the space ship door.

"Wait, I want to come with you." Bulma said hurrying towards him.

"I have no idea where we are going." Trunks warned.

"That's ohkay, I've got you to protect me." Bulma said casually getting on the ship before he could.

Trunks followed and the door hissed shut. He had a feeling that they were in for one hulleva ride. Bulma snatched the paper from him and clicked in the co-ordinates.

"Here we GO!" she yelled before punching the take-off button.

Trunks fell on his but as the space exploded into the air. This thing was fast. Faintly he heard the ship's computer announce that the trip would take a day. Trunks got to his feet and strapped himself into a chair.

Bulma had had the foresight to do that before the launch. She chattered away and Trunks wondered why on Earth he had been afraid of telling her about Zion.

"I have a great feeling about this Trunks." Bulma said happily.

"That makes one of us." Trunks muttered but Bulma didn't hear him.

Zion's warning still rang in his ears and he wondered just how badly he needed to adhere to it. Zion was powerful, way more powerful than him. If push came to shove than he was no match for Zion. He hoped it wouldn't come to a fight.

Trunks decided that he would go and train to work off his anxiety. Bulma piloted the ship and he fought with invisible foes.

"You really have improved a lot. I see Vegeta taught you a few tricks." Bulma commented leaning on the door frame.

"Really, how can you tell?" Trunks asked.

"I've lived with fighters for a good part of my life Trunks. I think I can tell a good one from a bad one. On Namek I had to watch from the sidelines as my friends fought for our freedom and our lives. Your father only fought on our side because we weren't Frieza." Bulma replied.

"You know, Yamcha told me that after Cell killed me Vegeta went crazy. He attacked Cell, even though he knew he couldn't win." Trunks said with a fond smile.

"Vegeta? Really? Well I'll be darned. The bastard actually does have heart." Bulma said with a chuckle.

"You should see the two of you in the other dimension. It's really quite funny. You have a mutual understanding to cause each other as much grief as possible. Usually it's poor little Trunks that's the weapon." Trunks said with a laugh.

"Oh and did you know that Vegeta didn't like worms and his favourite cake was chocolate. He also isn't a morning person even though he gets up so early and he makes the coffee but won't touch anything else." Trunks continued making Bulma laugh with him.

It had been so long since he had heard his mother laugh. It was a really great sound. Trunks and Bulma talked for hours about Vegeta, not realising just how much they had known about the Sayian Prince.

Trunks yawned and decided to go get some sleep. He took a shower and crawled into one of the beds, asleep before his head hit the pillow.

"Trunks. Wake up. Trunks, we're here." Bulma's voice floated to the sleeping boy from far away.

He shot up when the words registered and got dressed. He snapped the sword into place. Bulma watched him with confusion. He looked ready to start a war.

Trunks walked to the kitchen and quickly wolfed down food.

"You hungry?" he asked holding up a readymade lasagne.

"Sure." Bulma replied taking the offered bowl.

Trunks scanned the area while he ate. There was a large concentration of Ki to the North. The concentration was too dense to pick out individual numbers. Trunks sighed and finished the bowl in his hands.

"I think you should stay in the ship mom." Trunks said seriously.

"You think so?" Bulma replied.

"Yes." Trunks replied curtly.

Before she could argue Trunks was out the door and the space ship. It closed just as she got to it. He'd hear all about it later but now was not the time.

He looked around. There was not a hint of green anywhere. There were plenty of mountains but not a hint of light other than the stars. The whole place had a strange red glow. Trunks suppressed his Ki as much as he could and started to run towards the Ki signals. The closer he got the louder it got. It had been really silent by the ship but now it sounded like something was going on.

Trunks slowed down and hide behind some large rocks so that he could see what was happening. There was a large crowd of various aliens gathered in a large circle, all watching something with an excitement that was almost bloodthirsty. There were hundreds of them.

Trunks jumped a mile when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around to find a girl sitting next to him. She was beautiful, yet familiar. Her hair was completely white and fell in waves down her back, curling at the ends. Her eyes were an intense, penetrating silver. She was small, yet she looked like a fighter. This was Gaya Trunks realised. He looked up and saw the halo above her head. She also glowed slightly.

"You look like your father." she said with a smile.

"Uh thanks." Trunks replied a little uncomfortably.

Gaya's expression became sad.

"He won't listen to me anymore. You must be careful Trunks. He won't hesitant to kill you." Gaya said, her bottom lip trembling.

She faded away, gone as suddenly as she had appeared. Trunks turned back to the aliens. He sighed before he got up and walked quietly towards them.

They were so caught up in whatever they were watching that they hardly noticed him. Trunks noticed that they had many battle disfigurements. It made him even more nervous.

The crowd wasn't exactly in a circle. One section was surrounded in shadow. There was someone in that shadow. Trunks had his bets on who but he wasn't about to be stupid. He had been so caught up in the shadow that he hadn't been paying attention. A large alien shoved him out of the way and into what Trunks now realised was a ring.

Two aliens had been fighting. One of them wasn't so much fighting anymore so much as he was acting as a punching bag. Trunks swallowed when the alien was shoved carelessly aside. He doubled his guard. It was impossible to tell just how powerful this alien was with so many Ki close by.

You've got some nerve kid. You smell like fresh meat." A gruff, gravelly voice said.

Trunks realised it was the alien in front of him. He was a large guy and he had by far the most scars covering his body. In fact Trunks thought that he had more scars than he clothes on.

"Look I'm not here to fight, I'm just looking for someone." Trunks replied backing away slightly.

"Well you're fighting now kid. What are you anyways?" Someone behind him snickered.

"Who are you looking for? We'll need them later to collect your body." The alien he was supposed to be fighting asked with a humourless laugh.

"I'm looking for Zion." Trunks said loudly and everything went way to quiet.

"What do you want him for?" One person in the large crowd asked.

"That's my business." Trunks replied and he swore he saw the person in the shadows move.

"See now newbie, that's where you're wrong." The alien in front of him said walking closer.

Trunks stood ready to dodge anything that came his way. He drew his sword and widened his stance.

"Stop." A voice said calmly.

It was a cold voice that sent shivers down Trunks' spine. It was a voice that was used to getting his own way. It was also a voice accustomed to command.

"Nobody gets to beat up my little brother except for me." The voice continued and Trunks swallowed.

The person in the shadows moved and walked into the light. Trunks had been right. It was Zion. He was only slightly shorter than Trunks. His build was slender, but muscular. He wasn't wearing the Sayian armour. He was wearing sapphire blue hard duty boots with black baggy pants sticking into them. A blue strip of material secured the pants around his waist. Black fighting gloves and an open sapphire blue shirt completed the outfit.

He still had his tail and his hair and eyes were the same. Trunks got the feeling that it wasn't always that way. Black electricity crackled in the air around him.

"He don't look like much." The large alien commented.

"Do you want to tangle with him?" Zion asked with a smirk.

"Shit yeah, bring it on."

Before Trunks knew what was happening he was being attacked. A fist connected with his jaw and he was sent flying across the ground. He landed painfully. He got up quickly though and whipped the blood from his lip.

He had enough. He let his power loose with a yell of anger and the planet was lit up in a blaze of gold. He flicked out his hand and let his Ki alone send the fighter flying into the dark corners of the planet. His hair returned to lavender and he turned to his brother.

"So how did you find me? Better, how did you even know I existed?" Zion asked with the smirk still in place.

Trunks was uneasy. Zion was dangerous. His expression and stance said it all.

"You told me." Trunks replied evasively.

Zion raised an eyebrow at his reply but said nothing. He started walking towards Trunks and he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his gut. He felt like a mouse in front of a snake.

"You look like him." Zion said quietly.

There was an odd glint in his eye at the mention of their father.

"Kind of like calling the kettle black, don't you think?" Trunks responded tensing up.

"You would know, not me. I've never even seen the bastard. Where is he anyways?" Zion replied looking around.

"He's dead. He died when I was a baby. I don't remember him. However I have seen him. I've talked to him, trained with him." Trunks replied carefully.

"You know you contradict yourself." Zion said his smirk widening.

"Let's go somewhere else and I'll explain it to you." Trunks replied.

"This is my domain. Speak." Zion said loudly spreading his arms.

"He never knew." Trunks said.

He didn't know what had made him say those words. A presence touched his mind and he recognised it as Gaya.

"Never knew what?" Zion snarled.

"He never knew about you. Gaya didn't tell him, how could she? He never knew you were here." Trunks continued.

"That's no excuse!" Zion exploded.

"You didn't see his face when he saw you for the first time. He looked destroyed." Trunks said softly.

Zion kind of froze at that.

"Why did you come here?" he screamed.

"You're my brother." Trunks replied as though it were obvious.

Zion screamed in frustration but Trunks swore he could hear a hint of madness lacing that scream. The aliens back off but not Trunks. That's when Trunks saw the necklace that was more like a collar around his neck. It had a dull red light at the back that changed to green. Trunks realised that it was in response to his growing power level.

"Now now Runt. Stop throwing your toys out the cot." A stern voice ordered with amusement.

Zion dropped to his knees, sweat dripping down his face. His body shuddered ever so slightly indicating that he was in pain. He never cried out, not once. Trunks felt his temper rising every second but he forced his power to stay down. That brief flash hadn't been enough to show the true extent of his power.

The green light changed back to red and Zion slumped forward breathing heavily. His eyes found Trunks' rage filled ones before they closed in exhaustion. Just how were they hurting him? Trunks turned to the direction the voice had come from. It was the area shrouded in shadow. There were three other soldiers. Frieza's soldiers. Trunks drew his sword with a single minded focus.

"You know, I'm the one that killed Frieza. With this sword. Do you want to know how satisfying it was to slice this blade right through his body and then to blast what remained of it into space dust?" Trunks said loudly smirking just like his father.

"That's cute kid, but you aien't old enough." the soldier replied.

"Age doesn't matter Jumbo. See everyone thought he had been defeated on Namek and he had been, defeated I mean. He wasn't however killed in his own blast as we had all thought. His father found him floating around in space well what was left of him. He put Frieza back together. He was more metal that anything else. They went after Goku but they met up with me instead. I made sure they both died. It was pathetic really, how little effort I had to put into it. Then afterwards I sat and had a soda with my friends." Trunks replied pretending to pay an extreme amount of attention to his sword.

That was the breaking point. Two of the soldiers snapped and attacked him. Trunks didn't even have to power up to kill them. There was a flash of steel as his sword chopped off the first one's head. The other got two slices. Trunks barely flinched when the hot sticky blood splattered onto his body. The third soldier eyed him with fear mixed with rage.

"See just like that." Trunks said wiping his sword off on one of the dead soldiers.

Something inside of him had finally snapped. Seeing his brother being reduced to his knees was not something he would tolerate.

"I am the PRINCE OF ALL SAYIANS!" Trunks roared his power exploding around him once more.

The other soldier didn't even see him coming. He was dead before his body even hit the ground.

"Is this the best you can do?" Trunks asked.

No one replied. Trunks kept his power high but put his sword away. He walked over to his brother and picked him up. Zion whimpered quietly but only Trunks could hear him. He then took off into the air, back towards the ship.

The door opened as he landed and he walked in. Bulma looked up as the door opened. She looked from Zion to Trunks before tactfully going to the controls and starting the lift off. Trunks placed Zion on one of the beds and went to go shower but Zion grabbed his arm.

"Destroy the fucking planet Prince."

"All those people." Trunks protested.

"Look you had no trouble killing those others. Those people are some of the most lethal bloodthirsty killers in the galaxy. They will hunt you down." Zion said finally opening his eyes.

They were cold, ruthless. Trunks saw the truth of his words in them.

"Mom get ready to make a quick getaway." Trunks said going to the door.

It opened slightly at his command and started gathering the Ki necessary to destroy the planet. When his mom said they were ready then he let the Ki go, directing it towards the planet. They had but a minute of two to get off the planet.

The door closed and the ship blasted into the air. Trunks went to the shower and washed away the blood. The after wave of the blast rocked the ship slightly but that was it.

Trunks went to Zion. He looked like he was asleep but his body was too tense for that. Trunks touched his shoulder and he growled.

"Relax, I just want to see this collar thing." Trunks said pulling his hand away.

"You may be powerful but you won't get it off." Zion replied with a snort.

"I'm not only brawn, I have brains too." Trunks replied with a smile that Zion could not see.

"Fine but if you set it off, I'll kill you." Zion replied.

Trunks lifted Zion and turned him over so that he could see the device. It was painfully simple yet effective, barbaric even. It was punctured into his skin and connected to the base of his head. Now all Trunks needed to know was whether it electrocuted or if injected something.

"Does it inject something or does it electrocute you?" Trunks asked.

"Both." Zion replied gruffly.

Trunks saw how to get it off and put Zion back into the position he had been in to go get his tools. He reached into his pocket and took out his box of capsules. He was about to take on out but a hand stopped him.

"If you take it off then you don't have any means to control him. He's damaged Trunks and I don't know how to help him."

Trunks turned to see Gaya standing behind him looking lost. She walked over to Zion and ran her fingers through his hair but he did not react.

"He's blocked me out so much that he doesn't even know I'm here, that I've always been here." Gaya whispered.

Bulma put the ship on auto pilot and came to join her son.

"She's beautiful." Bulma said softly.

"It's your decision Trunks. For your sake I hope you choose well." Gaya said fading away.

Trunks popped the capsule and went back to Zion. Zion flinched and tensed when he felt the bed depress as Trunks sat on the edge.

"It'll hurt taking it out. There's nothing I can do to stop that." Trunks said looking down at his brother.

Zion did not reply. Trunks turned his brother over and realised at the same time that whatever they had injected into him also paralysed him.

Trunks very carefully undid the clasp on the collar. Sure the clasp was undone but the device was still pierced into his skin.

"Mom, can you get a towel and some warm water. Oh and a bandage." Trunks asked mentally bracing himself.

"Thanks." he muttered when his mother returned.

He pulled slightly on the device and Zion jerked. Trunks realised with horror that it was serrated. It had hooks making simply pulling it out not an option. Trunks was going to have to make a cut.

Trunks sighed before swinging and using his weight to pin his brother down. Zion immediately went on alert. He wiggled slightly and Trunks pressed more of his weight down.

"Don't move." he hissed.

Trunks then used his Ki to make a small but deep cut by the hooks. Blood ran from the wound and Trunks felt like he wanted to puke. He noticed tears falling down Zion's face. Zion's expression however was set in a grim mask.

"Wait Trunks. If this thing's got hooks then I'm willing to bet that there's more. Just let me check quickly." Bulma said hurriedly.

Bulma shivered before she whipped the blood trickling from the wound away with the towel. She then stuck her index finger into the cut, following the device. Zion tensed more and hissed. Trunks could see that he want to snap his head back but he held as still as possible.

"Found it." Bulma muttered giving a small tug with her hand.

Zion yelped. The first verbal sign of pain he had made all day.

"Ohkay Trunks pull it out now." Bulma said removing her hand.

Trunks pulled and Zion started to yell so Trunks started to yell and then Bulma started to yell. Trunks unhooked the collar from Zion's neck when the device came out of his skin. He tossed it into the air and blasted it. He then grabbed the towel and pressed it to the bleeding wound at the base of Zion's head.

Zion was pale and his head lolled weakly. His breathing was shallow where Trunks' were heavy. Trunks groaned when the bleeding wouldn't stop. He had to do something.

"Here Trunks let me." Bulma said moving his hands aside.

Trunks let her but he still pinned his brother down.

Bulma had to stitch the wound closed and then bandaged it. Zion had blacked out by now and Trunks took it as his cue to not have to pin him down anymore. Trunks paced the ship the whole journey back to earth. Had he made the right choice? He couldn't just leave his brother like that.

When the ship landed Zion was still out. Trunks picked him up and moved him into one of the rooms still standing at Capsule Corp. Already the humans had realised that their planet was no longer in threat and were starting to rebuild their broken lives. Not much of a home to bring your brother to but then again they were both broken.

Trunks helped his mother to clean the mess they had left the ship in. They could always use it again sometime. Trunks tucked the now capsule into his pocket next to the time machine. His stomach grumbled reminding him that he hadn't eaten the whole day. Neither had Zion.

Together, Trunks and Bulma started to make food for both the Sayians and Bulma. Trunks went to go and see if Zion was awake. He wasn't but Trunks decided that now was a good a time as any to be. He went to shake Zion's shoulder but Zion's hand shot up and caught his wrist.

"You need to eat." Trunks said.

Zion's eyes opened and there was a brief flash of confusion, but it was gone as quickly as it had been there. Zion got up and gingerly touched the back of his neck.

"I was thinking of going to Korin and seeing if he has any senzu beans for you." Trunks said quietly.

"What's that?" Zion asked.

"It'll make you feel better." Trunks replied evasively.

Suddenly Trunks found himself being slammed against the wall. Zion was right in front of him holding him by the throat.

"Tell me how you were able to see father if he is dead." Zion demanded.

"My mother invented a time machine. The things that killed Vegeta were impossible to defeat. My mother had hoped that by inventing a time machine we could not only stop them but prevent them from ever existing. The machine takes you to an alternate universe not just the past. So we only succeeded in preventing one world from suffering out fate but not our world." Trunks explained in a choked voice.

"Give me the machine." Zion snapped.

"It's out of energy. It only had enough for four trips, thats counting both there and back. Effectively I could only go into the past twice." Trunks replied.

Trunks yelled out in pain as Zion invaded his mind. Memories of his time in the past flashed through his mind at sickening speeds. When Zion was satisfied he dropped him to the ground carelessly.

Trunks groaned and slowly rolled onto his feet. Zion did not look at him. He walked out of the room and to the kitchen without a backward glance. Trunks didn't know that Zion was reeling. His emotions were taking hits that they had never taken before. How could anyone risk their lives to save someone whom they didn't even know? How could anyone risk their lives to save someone whom they knew could kill them without a thought?

Trunks walked into the kitchen without a word. He didn't look at Zion who was eating his food already, but he seemed to check everything for poison or something. The tension in the air was suffocating but no one said a word. Bulma glanced at the two boys but knew better than to say anything.

"So how did you meet the bastard?" Zion asked coldly.

"He means dad." Trunks said quietly.

"Oh, he came to this planet to kill someone I used to know. I didn't meet him then but I meet him later on Planet Namek when he was trying to kill me." Bulma replied as though speaking of the weather.

Zion did not reply but he had been knocked again. His father had come here in violence yet they still accepted him.

"Jip, Vegeta was a right royal pig when he first came here." Bulma said distantly but fondly.

"Ha, I remember when he came back from searching space for Goku how you made him wear that pink BADMAN shirt. It really did so much for his complexion." Trunks said with a laugh.

"Oh I forgot about that. Happier times I tell you. I'm surprised he didn't just walk around in his underwear." Bulma replied laughing with him.

"No way, that would just kill his Sayian Pride." Trunks replied tears rolling down his cheeks.

Zion watched with an odd sense of detachment. He had never had to purposefully detach himself from a situation.

"When you killed that other soldier you announced yourself as the Prince of all Sayians, why?" Zion asked.

"My father used to say that a lot. It was his most prideful aspect. I figured with his reputation it couldn't hurt to use it. Besides you're the King." Trunks replied.

Silence resumed in the room once more as they finished their breakfast.

"What are your plans for today?" Bulma asked starting to clear away the dirty dishes.

"I was thinking of going to Korin, seeing if he had any senzu beans. Then maybe I'll go help build a city or two." Trunks said joking about the last part.

"Well in that case I want you to stop by Chi Chi and see how she's doing and go stop by master Roshi and tell that old pervert to come out of his submachine." Bulma asked.

"Ohkay. Come one Zion." Trunks said getting up.

Zion scowled and looked at Trunks with a glare that could kill.

"Don't tell me what to do!" he snapped.

"I'm asking you to come along. I'm not telling you. Just know that if you stay you will not be getting any senzu beans." Trunks replied hotly.

Zion grumbled but went to Trunks' side. The two walked out of the house and Trunks strapped his sword on out of habit. Trunks took off into the air and Zion followed. Trunks didn't look down out of habit but Zion did.

Zion had known about Trunks' existence. He had always thought that he had grown up with Vegeta, had the perfect loving life. He had ignored what he had known deep down inside. He had ignored the fact that Trunks' world was one of war and fear. He looked at all the destroyed buildings and the large graveyards and realised that the two of them weren't so different after all.

"You know my father never accepted me. He had my mother weren't exactly in love. It was a moment of weakness for the both of them and I happened. No one knows what would have happened had he not died but for the most part he disowned me. Mom says she's grateful I don't remember. I didn't however tell her about her plane being shot down and Vegeta standing by and doing nothing about it. I was in that plane, as a baby." Trunks said from up ahead.

Zion didn't reply. He had seen that memory in Trunks' head. His father had been a bastard, he knew that all too well.

"But he accepted you." Zion muttered under his breath too low for Trunks to hear him.

Trunks changed direction and started to fly upwards.

"KORIN!" Trunks yelled loudly.

"Where's the fire came the gruff reply.

Zion saw a circular building on a pole in the sky. Trunks stopped when he was level with the building.

"Hay Korin. You don't happen to have any senzu beans do you?" Trunks asked.

Zion watched as a white cat with a cane started to talk. It was an odd experience.

"I have few, you're in luck." Korin replied tossing Trunks a small brown bag.

"Thanks a lot Korin." Trunks said with a small bow.

"Anything for the kid that saved the world. Goku would be proud. I think Vegeta would just be mad that he hadn't done it but I'm sure deep down he'd be saying something like Na na na na. Take that Kakarot. My son did it and not yours." Korin replied.

He was joking? That really wasn't like Korin at all. Trunks laughed at the truth in his words before waving and flying upwards. Zion followed behind silently. Korin noticed him but didn't say a word.

"MR POPO!" Trunks yelled just as another building came into view.

"Oh hello Trunks. It been a long time since I've had any visitors. I really miss Kami. Congratulations on saving the Earth young Trunks." Mr Popo replied from his garden.

"Thank-you." Trunks replied modesty before landing on the lookout floor.

"So what brings you here, and who's your friend?" Mr Popo asked.

"Oh this is my brother Zion and I was hoping to see the extent of the androids damage. We still have a long way to go." Trunks replied as Zion landed.

Mr Popo nodded before going back to watering his garden. Trunks opened the small bag and took out a small green bean. He then held out his hand to Zion. Zion eyed it like it was going to bite him. Eventually he shrugged and took it. He tossed it into his mouth and chewed before swallowing. His eyes widened in surprise and he touched the back of his neck in confusion.

Trunks made no comments. He didn't even look at Zion. He was giving his brother time to realise that he wasn't an enemy. He needed to realise that he wasn't being controlled anymore. Trunks just hoped that when that time came he wouldn't take his freedom to murderous extremes. Only time would tell and only time, patience and understanding would allow him to heal. Just like the Earth. After all Trunks still needed to give his brother a message, but he needed to heal and Trunks was willing to give anything for his brother to accept him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Are you going to just stand there the whole day?" Trunks asked lifting a large piece of rubble before tossing it into the air and blasting it.

"I'm just saying that it's kind of creepy. You haven't moved. At all. This is also a great workout." Trunks continued lifting another piece of rubble and blasting it.

It was easier to blast them than to try and figure out where to dispose of them seeing as there was so much darn rubble. If Trunks had known that before he killed the Androids he would have turned them into slaves instead.

As usual Zion didn't reply. He was as silent as he had been since the visit to the lookout six days ago. He never left Trunks' side but he never did anything either. All he did was watch.

Trunks lifted another piece of rubble just as two human children ran passed giggling in glee. Trunks had long ago given up trying to hide what he could do. It was a painfully slow process to rebuild a city otherwise. He had cleared the largest section so far. Zion's presence made sure that he was alone.

Zion stood upon the only large piece of rubble left. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was scowling at the world as if it had personally insulted him. Trunks sighed and hid a smile before lifting the piece of rubble causing Zion to jump off of it. He sent Trunks a glare which Trunks ignored.

Trunks was pretty certain that pushing Zion's buttons wasn't a good idea but he wasn't about to step on glass around him either. He had probably gotten that kind of treatment on the other horrific planet.

This time Trunks didn't have to blast the rubble. Zion's own blast reached it before he could. Trunks watched in amazement as Zion let a continuous stream of Ki blast the rubble on the ground into dust. His control was amazing. Trunks didn't trust his own control enough to do what Zion was doing now. Zion didn't even disintegrate the sand beneath the rubble, nothing more than the rubble and nothing less.

"Now what do you plan to do?" Zion asked.

Trunks blinked, trying to get over his shock to reply, "My mother's company has already built the cities. All that needed to be done was to clear away the rubble."

Zion grunted before resuming him previous position. Trunks contemplated going to help the others clearing the rubble. They were using large machines to move the rubble and cart it away to who knew where. His musings were cut short by the arrival of Chi Chi and his mother bringing lunch.

"Wow, you two have been busy." Bulma commented looking around.

"I wish Gohan could see this. He had worked so hard." Chi Chi said on a sigh.

Bulma looked at Trunks knowingly. Chi Chi always made odd comments like that at the strangest of times.

"Why can he not be?" Zion asked on a scoff.

"He's dead." Trunks replied coldly.

"So? Your perception of death is just another state of being. As long as one still exists, one can go anywhere, be anything." Zion replied.

"We're not all insanely powerful and creepily knowledgeable." Trunks muttered under his breath but Zion heard him.

"It just a matter of will." Zion said on a sigh.

As Trunks watched a halo appeared above Zion's head.

"Did you just kill yourself?" Trunks asked in disbelief.

"No I just changed my state of being." Zion replied.

"Well you have fun with that." Trunks muttered more than a little intimidated.

"I could probably bring your friends back into this state of being if I really wanted to." Zion replied casually.

Trunks stared at his in disbelief. Was Zion being cruel? Trunks got the feeling that he would, just for the entertainment.

"Like I said though, if I wanted to." Zion replied harshly.

Jip, he was being cruel. Trunks pulled his mother and Chi Chi away from Zion with a frown. They ate lunch in miserable silence and Zion ate his in seclusion. Trunks wondered briefly if he could hit him with Ki. The only thing that stopped him from trying was Gaya's sad words, and the tiny but significant fact that Zion could and would kill him.

Bulma left after they had finished eating. Trunks had heard a lot of stories about Chi Chi's temper but he had never witnessed it himself. After Goku had died, so had her fire. Gohan had never been around much either, he had gone to train so that he could defeat the androids.

"Why do you stick around?" Trunks demanded of Zion, his dark thoughts putting him in a dark mood.

"You fascinate me little brother, kind of how a child is amused by a bug before he kills it." Zion replied with a dark chuckle, "Besides, I thought you wanted me around, after all what are brothers for?"

"You don't have to be such a jerk you know." Trunks snapped.

Zion just smirked at him. Trunks rubbed his temples before deciding that he liked Zion better as the statue. He blasted into the air, his patience thin. He groaned when Zion followed him.

Zion flew with his back to the ground, his hands under his head and a smirk on his face.

"Are you trying to irritate me to death?" Trunks asked blandly.

"Maybe." Zion drawled his smirk widening.

Trunks decided to ignore him and just flew for the sake of flying. He closed his eyes and let his senses expand. Zion was the most noticeable thing he could sense. His energy was large, powerful, dark. He wasn't even trying to hide it. Trunks pushed past that fact and concentrated on not flying into anything instead. He could just open his eyes but it was easier to ignore Zion when he couldn't see his smirk.

The more he flew with his senses as his eyes the more he began to realise the vastness of Zion's power. He also noticed that one couldn't sense it right away because it spread out around and connected to all the living things around him. It was as though he was in harmony with everything around him.

"Having fun?" Zion asked and Trunks could hear the smirk in his voice.

Trunks opened his eyes in annoyance. He automatically took in his surroundings and came to a screeching halt. He stared down at the ruined city below him darkly. It was still battle scared. The humans that had volunteered to rebuild the cities had not reached this one yet.

Trunks was lowering to the ground without actually having given himself permission to do so. He walked to the centre of a large crater. It was a crater he himself had created. He closed his eyes as the terrible circumstances of his ascension swirled in his mind.

"This place has a lot of terrible energy." Zion said quietly.

Trunks did not reply to Zion's comment. He opened his eyes and studied the battlefield around him. He felt his anger rise at the thought that everything that Gohan had done had all been in vain. All his achievements were to forever go unacknowledged by the very people he had done it for. Everyone except for the few that had known him.

He saw dents in the crater. They were from the Androids blasts that had killed Gohan. Even his blaze of sudden power hadn't been enough to completely erase them.

"What happed here? I see it had great meaning for you." Zion pressed on uncaringly, impatience lacing his voice.

Trunks ignored him. His thoughts continued down the dark path they were on. Gohan would never get to know the peace he had fought so hard for. He would never get to have a family. He would never see the light of another day again.

Trunks' Ki rocketed and his body transformed into the super Sayian state. He went higher and broke through the barriers of the second transformation. He hadn't realised that he was screaming until Zion decked him square in the jaw. Trunks flew into the remains of a building. He barely noticed that he had made the ascension to ascended super Sayian.

"I asked you a question." Zion stated bluntly walking over to where he was trapped in the rubble.

"And I chose not to answer it." Trunks snapped back.

Zion could not understand his brother's reluctance to answer the question. He wanted to know what had hurt his brother so badly that the mere memory of it had pushed him to ascend once more. He was also extremely used to getting his way.

Before Trunks could get up he pinned him in place. Trunks glared at him trying to get away. Zion eyes kind of flared with a weird light and so did his Ki just before he invaded Trunks' mind. This time Trunks fought against it and the ordinarily painful act was increased tenfold. Trunks yelled out in pain just as Zion broke through the pathetic barriers he had tried to erect.

It wasn't hard to find the memories. He had been thinking about them just moment ago. Zion watched his memories of Gohan with as much intensity as he had watched the memories of the past. Trunks was once again forced to relive the horrific event.

Trunks grit his teeth before reversing the invasion. He had learned more than fighting tactics while training with his father. He gasped as he rushed into his brother's mind. It was more alien to him than his father's had been. Zion was momentarily too shocked to do anything. Trunks unwilling saw a memory of Zion's that he was sure he was going to pay dearly for later, just as he had with his father.

_Zion was seven maybe eight years old. He was staring defiantly up at Frieza's men. His mother stood behind him, invisible to Frieza's men. She whispered to Zion, giving him comfort in a cruel world. "Your time will come my son. Hold on." Frieza's men spoke but Zion hadn't been paying attention enough to remember the words. They attacked him and he did nothing to stop them just as his mother had told him to. There were five of Frieza's men here. As Zion lay on the floor he was being beaten. He made no sound. He only stared at his mother who was lying next to him. He snapped however when his tail was grabbed. Gaya was talking to him again. Urgently this time. Zion wasn't paying attention. He blasted the soldier holding his tail with such force that another was severely wounded. A quick blow was delivered to his head. It knocked him out and the next time he woke up he had the collar around his neck and he never saw his mother again._

Zion shoved him out of his mind with such anger that Trunks thought he was going to kill him.

"DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" he roared before taking off into the sky.

So they had both learned something of each other. Why hadn't Zion killed him? He had been so sure that one wrong move and Zion wouldn't hesitate. Perhaps he had been wrong. He sure hoped he was.


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning: This chapter starts off a bit rough.**

Chapter 3.

Trunks heard the shatter of glass against a hard surface and he was immediately more alert. He hadn't been asleep. He had been waiting for Zion to return.

He jumped up and ran to where the noise had come from and arrived in time to see the broken remains rise off the floor and fix themselves into the pot plant it once was.

"Woah. Amazing." Trunks muttered.

Zion's attention whipped to him and his expression became a glare.

"What were you doing?" Trunks asked quietly.

He was hoping that the answer wouldn't be torturing humans. He had a feeling that his brother was painfully honest.

"Having fun with the local females." Zion replied with a smirk that spoke volumes.

"W-well I hope you used protection." Trunks spluttered going red.

"Protection? Dear brother what on I believe the phrase is Earth are you talking about?" Zion said with genuine confusion.

Trunks studied his brother carefully. Was he playing with him? If Zion was then he couldn't see it in his face but that meant nothing. Trunks decided it wasn't worth it to take the bait. He was rewarded for his suspicions when Zion smirked wolfishly.

"What's the matter little brother? Wanna tell me you've never been with a girl. I like these ones because they look so much like me." Zion said waving his tail for emphasise.

"Urg, you're such a jerk. I'm going to bed. It's too damn late for this." Trunks said walking away.

"Well I suppose saving the world does get distracting. Now the world doesn't need saving anymore." Zion said suggestively while keeping pace with him.

"Like I said I'm going to bed." Trunks replied warily.

He opened his door and started to remove his jacket. He sensed Zion behind him but he decided to ignore it. Zion moved so fast he didn't even sense it coming. He found himself once again pinned to a wall with Zion's face mere inches from his.

"Perhaps brother it is not girls you're interested in." Zion whispered in his ear before crushing his lips to Trunks'.

Trunks was momentarily frozen. What was this? Zion prevented him from moving anywhere and he tried. Once Trunks got over the shock of what Zion was doing he struggled and struggled violently, but it wasn't enough. Zion's tongue was in his mouth and Trunks wasn't sure if he had let it happen or if Zion had forced it, but his body was beginning to heat up. His mind screamed NO while his body reacted to his brother's advances. Zion pressed his body against Trunks' and Trunks could feel his arousal. It only made him struggle more.

Zion pulled back and Trunks could see the heat in his eyes. He started to panic. How far would Zion take this? Trunks was literally powerless to stop him. Zion leaned forward again and started to kiss Trunks' neck. He swallowed as his brother nibbled his ear.

"I hate you. In this moment, right this very second I hate you." Trunks managed to say hoarsely through clenched teeth.

"Don't tease me brother." Zion growled huskily in his ear.

Zion then pulled away completely and dropped Trunks to the floor. Trunks watched in utter shock as Zion walked out of his room and down the hall to his own room.

Trunks scrambled off the floor. Brother or not damaged didn't even begin to describe the guy. Trunks grabbed his sword from the spot he had been leaving it the past few days and lay on his bed with it clutched tightly to his chest. It took him awhile but eventually he began to drift off. As he slipped into the world of dreams Trunks swore he heard his brother's cruel chuckle and if he didn't know better he would have sworn he felt him watching him too.

When Trunks walked into the kitchen the next morning he looked terrible. He had rings under his eyes and his bags had bags. His hair was in all directions and he looked only half awake. When he saw Zion however he went a deep shade of red and looked quickly away.

"Trunks honey, you look terrible. Are you feeling ohkay?" Bulma asked walking to him and putting a hand to his forehead.

"I'm fine. I just didn't get much sleep." Trunks protested quickly moving his head away from his mother's hand.

"Why I slept just fine?" Zion asked innocently.

Trunks just glared at him making Zion smirk. Great, his brother was a psycho who had a thing for sexual torture. Maybe this was his way of getting back at Trunks for seeing his memory. Trunks attacked his food as he thought it over. Punishment or psychotic? Punishment or psychotic? Punishment or psychotic . . .

When he was finished with his breakfast he was no closer to the answer than when he had started. Zion said nothing and that only made Trunks madder. He washed his dishes with the same ferocity that he had eaten his food. He had a scowl on his face that Bulma thought looked too damn much like Vegeta's.

"Trunks honey, why don't you go back to bed?" she suggested in concern.

Trunks barked out a humourless laugh. Not likely. Zion was still around. Didn't he have some humans to terrorize? Trunks froze at the last thought. What the hell was he thinking? He chanced a glance at Zion. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he was smirking like he knew something that he shouldn't.

"Actually, Bulma, Trunks and I had plans for today. Didn't we brother?" Zion asked sweetly.

"We did?" Trunks asked deliberately playing stupid.

"Yeah we discussed it last night when you should have been sleeping. Then you wouldn't be so tired that you're forgetful." Zion replied unfazed.

Trunks swallowed. What was Zion up to? Trunks stormed out of the room and went to brush his teeth. He sure wasn't planning on letting Zion do anything, not this time. When he was done with his teeth he strapped on his sword and walked out of his room only to come nose to nose with his brother.

"You really think that little toy is going to help?" Zion asked with amusement gleaming in his cold eyes.

"Leave me alone Zion." Trunks snapped walking around the older man.

Zion was four years older than him so that made him twenty. Trunks shook the thought from his mind. Why was he even bothering? He heard Zion tsk and before he grabbed his arm and flew out the open balcony doors in Zion's room.

"Did you not hear me tell your mother that we had plans brother?" Zion asked rhetorically.

"Let me go! Trunks yelled.

Zion did and it surprised Trunks so much that he didn't catch himself until he was a few inches above the rubble cleared ground. He righted himself and lowered to the ground. He looked around he realised that Zion had flown a lot faster than he had originally thought. They were in the now cleared ruin from the day before.

He sensed Zion before he saw him. Zion slammed his fist into Trunks' stomach. The breath whooshed from him lungs and he fell to his knees trying and failing to get a lungful of air. Zion gripped his hair and yanked his head back. Trunks was forced to stare into the cold eyes of his brother.

"Did you really think I'd let what you did go unpunished? You knew what you were doing. It wasn't an accident." Zion stated harshly.

Trunks couldn't even breathe let alone reply. He could only watch helplessly as Zion's fist flew to his face. There was a loud crunch as his nose broke. Zion roughly shoved him away and Trunks fell forward, finally able to draw in a strangled gasp of air.

"When are you going to realise that I'm not your enemy? I'm not here to hurt you." Trunks asked weakly, trying to ignore the throb of pain that had taken hold of his entire body.

"Oh I know it. That's why you aren't dead yet." Zion replied with a smirk, bordering on insane.

He took off into the air, leaving Trunks to find a way to explain to his mother what had happened. Zion had taken the senzu beans with him and Trunks couldn't stop the scream of anger when he realised this.

"Don't worry brother, I'll find a way to beat you. I already know where I'm going to look. I said the time machine was out of energy, not that it could not be replaced." Trunks said to himself, at the same time making up his mind.

He struggled to his feet. He had supplies to find and it wasn't going to be easy. He could only hope that Zion didn't find out because he was pretty sure that Zion wouldn't use the information well.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

Trunks made sure to come home after his mother had gone to bed. He just really didn't feel like explaining why he was covered in his own blood and had a broken nose. After all he was supposed to be the strongest person on the planet aside from the man he was supposed to call his brother.

Trunks carefully eased his window open and jumped down into his room. He turned and closed the window.

"Where have you been? I've been worried sick." A voice behind him said mockingly.

Trunks grit his teeth and turned to see Zion lying on his bed. He created a ball of Ki in his palm and let it float up to create eerie shadows in the room. Trunks glared at him. He didn't dare move his hands, afraid that it would bring Zion's attention to the grease he was trying to hide.

"If you must know, I was disposing of rubble." Trunks said not entirely untruthfully.

"How disappointing. I was hoping our positions could be reversed from last night." Zion said with a mock pout on his lips.

All at once Trunks realised that this was nothing but a game to his brother. An idea hit him and hit him hard. He winced at the very thought of it but if it worked than it would be worth it.

"It's not too late to reverse last night brother." Trunks said.

Before Zion could cotton on to what he was implying Trunks used his Ki to make energy rings. He then sent them at his brother keeping him where he was. Zion at first glared at him with an anger that made Trunks think twice. Zion then smirked and relaxed into the vulnerable position. Trunks doubted Zion could ever truly be vulnerable. Right now he

was letting Trunks have his way.

"What now brother? You have the power." Zion said in a low voice that made goosebumps rise on Trunks' neck and arms.

Good question he thought to himself. Well he had started out with a purpose in mind. Trunks mentally cringed at what he was about to do.

"You seemed to have enjoyed yourself last night." Trunks said casually walking closer to the bed.

"Immensely." Zion agreed, his voice husky.

Trunk drew his sword and placed the tip just under Zion's chin. Zion's expression never changed. He then moved the sword down Zion's body, the sharp edge cutting the material but nothing else. Trunks stopped when he reached the top of Zion's pants. He lifted the sword and used it to move the shredded shirt away. Zion's eyes were now distant, dazed over but not completely lacking their usual intensity. Trunks put the sword away. He then climbed onto the bed, his eyes never leaving Zion's. He straddled his brother much the same way he had when bringing him home. He ran his hands up Zion's sides and leaned forward so that he was just inches away from Zion. Zion smirked and Trunks was pushed forward as Zion lifted his hips. He then started to kiss Trunks. When Trunks tried to move away Zion used his tail to keep him where he was. Zion then broke the Ki rings and sparks flew everywhere. He flipped them so that Trunks was now under him. Zion kissed a line from his jaw to his ear.

"I win again." Zion informed him huskily.

"FUCK!" Trunks exploded punching the wall in his anger.

"Not yet, too soon for that. Maybe later. You have to learn when to play along and when to make a move baby brother. You'll never survive in this game if you don't." Zion growled.

"I don't want to play this game." Trunks spat out from between clenched teeth.

"That makes no difference to me." Zion replied suddenly gone.

Trunks watched him walk away with a growing sense of unease. So it was back to plan A. He huffed and jumped off the bed. Just what was the end result of this game and how would he know when it was over?

Trunks slept late into the next day. He didn't even wake when him mother came to check up on him. She left him since he had looked so awful yesterday.

Trunks sprang up with a strangled yell of surprise when something wet was shoved into his ear. He looked around wildly only to see Zion roaring with laughter.

"Man, you should see your face." Zion said between gasps.

Trunks angrily tried to dry out his ear with the corner of his shirt, but it still felt weird.

"What is with you?" he demanded angrily.

"What? It was the perfect opportunity. Anyways just so you know earwax does not taste good." Zion replied with a look of innocence sticking out his tongue at the last part.

Trunks glared at him before throwing off the covers and getting out of bed. He picked out a new set of clothes and picked up his towel, intending on going to shower. His nose still throbbed slightly but thanks to his Sayian DNA it was healing up pretty fast.

"So this game of yours, when does it end?" Trunks asked.

"Oh you'll know." Zion said with a smirk.

Trunks walked passed him to the bathroom. He rolled his eyes when Zion followed.

"Can I at least take a shower in peace?" Trunks asked pulling off his shirt and throwing it into the laundry basket.

"For now." Zion said leaving the room.

Trunks probably took the quickest shower of his life. Just how far was Zion willing to take this game? More importantly how the hell did you play it? He realised that Zion was always hanging around him. How was he going to get Zion to leave him alone long enough to initiate plan A?

Well that was easy. He just had to get Zion mad. Now the problem was getting Zion mad enough to leave and not kill him. Trunks sighed and walked to the kitchen. It was almost lunch time anyway.

His mom was at work, building the cities to replace the rubble with. He went to the fridge and dug around until he found the leftovers. He then popped a few in the microwave. When it was done he started to eat shoving the next lot in. Zion walked in and grabbed one of the dishes. He smirked at the glare Trunks shot him. Trunks was really starting to hate that smirk.

He went to the sink to wash the dishes he had used when he was done eating. It hadn't taken very long since Zion had helped him do it. He sensed Zion getting closer and tensed. Zion stood directly behind him. He then pressed his boy against Trunks' as he reached under Trunks' out stretched arm to wash his own dishes. Trunks stood perfectly still waiting for Zion and what he could only assume was his perpetual hard on to back off.

"How the heck to you enjoy these games of yours?" Trunks snapped before he could stop himself.

"Frieza's soldiers hated them. When you can't change a situation you learn to adapt to it. They hated it more when they thought you were enjoying it as much as they were disgusted by it." Zion replied with a causal shrug while pressing closer to Trunks.

"I'm surprised you let those weaklings control you. I thought you were stronger than that." Trunks said casually while mentally holding his breath.

Zion's weight and heat disappeared. He snarled angrily before blasting away. Trunks slumped forward. He had no time to waste. He had to finish fixing the time machine. There was no telling when Zion would get back. There were three energy pods. He had replaced one. Now he needed to replace just two more.

Trunks had changed the game. While it was Zion's goal to make Trunks as uncomfortable as possible it was Trunks' goal to make Zion as angry as possible without getting killed. Trunks hoped that his estimation about Zion's goal was correct.

He couldn't help but wonder why Zion was playing his little game. Trunks had been patient with him. He had taken him away from the place that had made him like he is but still Zion persisted in being a demented lunatic.

Trunks shook his head and flew to another ruined city. As he searched for the components he needed he blasted pieces of rubble. That way he had an excuse and the uneven flaring of his Ki signals would let Zion know that he was doing what he had been doing for the past week or so. He just needed two more and the sooner he found them the better.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ohkay Cara 2012 asked me to post some of my writing while drunk. Well here's a chapter. Hope it's not too bad. Just please note that none of it was written while sober.**

Chapter 5.

Trunks sensed Zion's Ki getting closer so he hastily capsulised the time machine. Thankfully he had just finished putting in another one of the energy pods. Just one more to go.

"There you are." Zion said almost cheerfully as he landed.

Trunks was weary. The last time he had pissed off his brother he had repaid him by giving him a beating. His nose was still healing.

"Are you done here? I've got a whole night planned. The rubble isn't going anywhere." Zion asked looking around at the cleared rubble.

"What exactly were you planning?" Trunks asked carefully.

"Fun. Now let's go get you cleaned up." Zion said taking off into the air and grabbing Trunks with him.

"I can fly myself you know." Trunks grumbled up at Zion.

Zion let go so suddenly that Trunks almost didn't recover. That time machine plan was sounding better and better already. Why hadn't he seen that one coming? After all Zion had done it before.

They flew back to capsule corporation and Zion practically shoved Trunks in the shower. Trunks was still fully clothed and he yelled in surprise when the cold water started to spray on him. He scrambled out of the shower and glared at a grinning Zion.

"Oh get out already!" Trunks yelled yanking off his now soaked jacket.

Zion laughed all the way the kitchen. He was still eating when Trunks walked into the kitchen himself rubbing a towel over his wet hair.

"Took you long enough." Zion muttered dumping his dishes in the sink.

"What exactly do you have planned?" Trunks asked yet again.

"I told you fun. Now shut up and follow." Zion said before shooting off faster than Trunks could ever hope to be in his current form.

Trunks reluctantly powered up to super Sayian and grudgingly followed his older brother. He figured that if he didn't follow then Zion would drag him there by the foot or something.

"I managed to find some small cities that the Androids had yet to destroy. I was surprised at what you humans do for fun." Zion yelled from up ahead.

"I don't want to know what you consider fun." Trunks muttered under his breath.

Zion seemed to be having fun with just the simple act of flying. He whirled this way, twirled that way, spun, zigzagged, turned upside down and even imitated swimming. Trunks chose not to comment but rather watched, smiling slightly. Zion wasn't smiling so the playful flying was dimmed but he looked peaceful. Trunks wondered just what his life was like. Did he get to do the simple things like flying? Probably not judging by his antics now.

When Zion dove down Trunks almost didn't realise it was because they had arrived at their destination. The sun was sinking low into the sky as Trunks touched down onto the floor where Zion was waiting. He let his power drop and also the super Sayian transformation. The place looked ordinary enough. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe Zion wanted to go shopping in some tiny little clothes shop that just didn't exist anywhere else. Yeah and maybe Gohan would show up and say hi.

"This way slow poke. What does that even mean?" Zion said cheerfully walking ahead.

Why was it that whenever that guy got happy Trunks wanted to run as far and as fast as he could in the opposite direction only to stop on the furthest end of the next galaxy? It could be the devious smirk on his face instead of a smile. Or it could be the triumphant tone is his voice. Or maybe, just maybe it could be the gleam of wolfish mischievousness in his eyes.

Trunks shivered and redirected his thoughts. He followed Zion. His heart sank and his guard intensified with every perfectly normal looking shop they passed without so much as window shopping. He had a sick feeling in his stomach that wasn't about to go away. Just please don't let me die. A tiny voice reminded him that there were worse things than dying.

It got dark the more they walked and Trunks couldn't help but feel that Zion landed where he had so that they had to walk and by the time they reached wherever it was they were going it would be well into the dark hours of the day. How big was this place anyways? Didn't he say small?

They walked for about an hour and a half before FINALLY coming to a stop outside of a simple black door. A large human bald man stood outside the door with his arms crossed. He looked at Zion before paling and hastily opening the door. Zion smirked and walked to the door. As he passed the man he jerked his body towards the bouncer. The bouncer practically whimpered and scrambled away. Zion roared with laughter.

Trunks questioned the wisdom of getting Zion angry to make him leave him alone. Sending him out into the Earth while mad didn't seem like such a great idea anymore. He only had one more to go and then hopefully he could get some answers. Trunks followed his brother into the inky blackness or the door way.

He put his hand out and followed a wall and Zion's Ki. They seemed to be in a long hallway. The only sounds were his footsteps and breaths. Suddenly his eyes were assaulted with lights and his ears bombarded with a cacophony of sounds. Grating and grinding bodies started at the door way he found himself in and stretched as far as he could see, packed flush against one another.

Trunks was dizzy just looking at it. A tug at his shirt helped him find his brother whom he gratefully followed. Hopefully Zion didn't expect to stay here the whole night. His ears were starting to ring already. Amazingly enough the crowd managed to find room in the nonexistent space to move away from Zion so that no one touched him. He just oozed power and no one, right mind or not, would try to mess with him.

Zion led them to a bar and asked Trunks if he was thirsty. Trunks nodded absently, too distracted by the mass of sensory overloads around his to really pay attention. Music was playing from everywhere and way too loud. Lights bounced around the room, flashing different speeds and patterns. People were just everywhere, from the dance floor to the balcony and loft above them. The bass of the music pulsed through Trunks' entire being making his nerve endings tingle oddly.

A glass tapped his hand and he clasped his fingers around it. He looked down and was surprised to see a regular coke. He sniffed it. Jip, just coke. He took a sip, still absorbed in the many masses around him. Eww. He didn't know three people could even do that. He took another sip, enjoying the coolness of the liquid. There was an odd taste that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He took another sip, really tasting it. Still, it eluded him. He took another sip. He ended up draining the glass. It was strongest at the bottom. He ran his tongue over his teeth and over his palate. Sandy. Then it hit him, mentally and physically.

"And you're supposed to be the son of a genius." he muttered to himself as everything faded and swam around him.

It all eventually settled on a nice comfortable black.

* * *

><p>"Wakey, wakey sunshine."<p>

The voice was distant, inconsistent in tone and pitch. It also caused a shard of pain right through Trunks' brain making him groan.

"Come on cupcake you can do it."

It was closer now. More stable too and also more painful. Trunks managed to open his heavy eyelids a crack allowing a sliver of light to hit his pupils. That was painful too. He quickly shut his eyes again.

"Really? You still out?" Zion asked rhetorically.

Trunks felt his throbbing body being lifted easily. He managed to open his eyes long enough to note that they were no longer in the club and there were far too many snoring bodies lying all over the place in various states of dress, some not at all. Zion swung him up and over his shoulder. Trunks felt himself sway and lean different directions as Zion carefully picked his way around people to get to a door.

"What happened?" Trunks managed to groan out.

He barely heard himself so he wondered if Zion had. The chuckle that shook Zion's chest told him that he had.

"Don't worry, it'll come to you. Well some of it will." Zion assured him.

Trunks groaned as Zion's sudden take off into the air made his body jerk and several areas throb painfully. Wind made his hair whip wildly around his head and plastered his clothes to his body. Thank the Gods he was still wearing clothes and the same ones he had left in. Imagine that.

Zion was flying back to the capsule corp. dome building that was their home. Trunks was thankful for his mother's busy schedule at the moment. She wasn't home. He knew that much from Ki-less building that was still quite some distance away. Trunks started to drift off again.

He didn't feel it when they landed and he didn't wake up when his brother placed him on his bed. He didn't stir when Zion started to tap in water into the bath. His eyes did however lift slightly when Zion started to undress him. His body felt too heavy to even try and fight his brother. Zion left his boxers where they were, snugly around his waist and lifted him off the bed. He deposited the only half conscious teen into the bath.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say that you're being almost nice." Trunks muttered letting the semi hot water sooth his aching muscles.

"Never in a million years brother. I have a reputation to up hold you know." Zion replied with a smirk.

Zion then hunted around the bathroom for things he deemed necessary. Trunks rolled his eyes when Zion dumped a bucket of bath time toys into the bath with a grin. He hadn't seen these things in years. The ever popular yellow rubber ducky floated across the water towards Trunks and he blew at it feebly.

Zion then plunged a hand into the water, grasped Trunks' hand and yanked him up into a sitting position. Trunks was irritated by the fact that it seemed like he was boneless. Trunks managed a weak chuckle when Zion proceeded to bath him.

"I'm not a two year old invalid." Trunks muttered.

"From where I'm standing you are." Zion replied emphasising way too much and washing behind Trunks' ears.

"When I'm able to move again I'm going to kick your ass." Trunks vowed.

"Please. You wouldn't be able to catch me let alone get me to stand still long enough to kick my ass. Besides I'm doing us both a favour. If your mother came home with the way you looked and SMELLED, I'd be out of a place to live." Zion replied wrinkling his nose.

"Who says I won't tell her?" Trunks replied.

"That would be about the dumbest thing you ever did." Zion told him firmly, "Now just start thinking about last night and tell me when you start remembering things."

Trunks decided that that didn't sound like such a bad idea even if it did make him cringe. He closed his eyes and Zion let him lie back down, mostly to rinse the shampoo from his hair. He felt Zion's Ki flare and the water warmed.

"_You ohkay?" Zion asked after the glass had slipped from Trunks' fingers._

_An unnatural smile stretched Trunks' mouth into an idiotic grin. Suddenly the lights weren't overwhelming but rather intoxicating and the music mesmerising. _

"_I'm grrrreat. I wanna dance. You wanna dance?" Trunks replied speaking way too fast and already disappearing into the crowd._

_Trunks joined the closely packed bodies jerking his body to the beat in the music. He had an endless supply of energy and he felt invincible. He laughed when he realised that he almost technically was. Zion wasn't far behind, a shadow of watchful malevolence. Girls tried to move with Trunks and even some guys but two things kept them moving away after a short while. One, Zion proved to be a much more dangerous presence than Trunks had calculated since when they realised that Trunks was with him they left. Two, the just couldn't keep up with Trunks' erratic energy._

Trunks opened his eyes to see an empty bathroom. The water was cooling rapidly and he was getting some sort of control back into his limbs. He forced himself to get up and out of the bath. He could drip dry for all he cared as long as he made it to the bed. He left the plug deciding that it was just too much effort to bend and try to get up again.

He collapsed on the bed, managing by some miracle to twist so that he landed on his back. He let out a deep breath he had been holding and closed his eyes again.

_A large, tall, puffy looking guy with beady eyes was huffing into Trunks' face. He was yelling something about Trunks bumping into him. He shoved Trunks when he realised that Trunks was not listening at all. Trunks got irrationally angry at that. He shoved the guy back with a snarl._

"_Hay buddy. The way I see it is that I saved all your asses cause Androids don't kill themselves, so if I want to dance in a club then I should at least be able to do so with a little bit of breathing room!" Trunks yelled getting up in the guys face._

"_You couldn't even swat a fly tiny, let alone kill the Androids." The guy replied with a roar of laughter. _

_Trunks' temper had snapped and so had his Ki. It rose so high and fast that the whip lash sent people all around them flying backwards. As the golden aura surrounded Trunks he scowled at the crowd trying to find the human._

"_Want to put your money where your mouth is punk?" Trunks asked in a dangerously low voice._

_The guy vehemently shook his head. _

"_Didn't think so." Trunks replied with a smirk. _

_He had plenty or breathing room to dance after that._

Trunks' eyes snapped open in shock. All those people. Did anyone get seriously injured? Did anyone die? Trunks paled. Zion walked in then with food balance on his arms.

"Did anyone die last night?" Trunks asked immediately.

"No but more than a few ended up in hospital." Zion replied laying down the plates.

"Aww man how could you do this to me?" Trunks groaned.

"I didn't make you drink the coke and I didn't make you do anything after drinking the coke. I did however stop you from sleeping with quite a number of people. You tried to deck me the third time I did it." Zion replied with a shrug, "Now can you feed yourself or do you need me to do that for you?"

Trunks just groaned. Zion then shoved a spoon into his mouth.

"Fuck off Zion!" Trunks yelled.

"That's not very nice. With the condition you're in I'll be doing all the work and you'll consider it rape." Zion replied with a mock pout.

He laughed when Trunks' hand started to glow with purple Ki. He got out of the room leaving the food. Trunks did not want to explore his memories any further but they came anyways.

"_So you're the guy that says he killed the Androids." A voice from behind Trunks said tonelessly._

_Trunks was leaning against a grimy wall in a grubby public bathroom taking a much needed piss. He glanced over his shoulder and the man. He had a fighter's build but he didn't have a warrior's Ki. It was higher than average but not enough to impress the drugged demi Sayian. _

"_Yeah, so, what's it to you?" Trunks replied finishing his business and moving to a basin to wash his hands._

_He wasn't entirely sure what good that would do since the basin was just as disgusting as the rest of the place. _

"_I just wanted to size you up. You aein't much but talk are you kid?" The guy replied and two other guys joined him._

"_Speak for yourself. Size isn't everything." Trunks replied intent on walking around the guy but they kept him where he was._

"_You give us real fighters a bad name kid. That just won't do." The guy said lowly._

"_NOOO! YOU give us real WARRIORS a bad name you pathetic piece of trash. Now get out of my way." Trunks replied coldly._

_The guy tried to punch him after turning maroon. Trunks easily caught the fist and started to crush the bones. He would never punch anything with that hand again. The other two goons tried to jump Trunks but he just twisted his own wrist making the guy at the other end of the fist he held flip into the air and crash into his friends. The screams didn't even phase Trunks as he walked out of the bathroom and back onto the dance floor._

"_Hay handsome, you up for some fun?" a female voice offered very close to his ear._

_Trunks smirked. She was behind him and the hand she had placed on his groin let little room for errors on what she was proposing. _

"_Back off whore." A harsh deadly voice spat._

_Trunks turned to glare at Zion. _

"_I thought you wanted me to get laid." Trunks demanded._

"_Not to that you won't." Zion said disgustedly before spitting on the floor, "Never know where it's been." _

_Zion then handed him a closed bottle of coke which Trunks took eagerly. He had already dismissed the failed sex opportunity. His mind was too buzzed to stay focused on more than one thing at a time. If he wanted to do something he did it without stopping to think about the consequences. _

"_Excuse me! The club owner Mr. Santos, has asked if you'll join him up in the VIP lounge." A man in a dark, expensive suit yelled._

_Zion looked at him in consideration. He then grabbed Trunks who had been headed towards the middle of the dance floor again and followed the man to the back of the club. They went up a set of metal stairs and through a near invisible door. They walked down a long hallway. The more they walked the softer the music became. They entered another large spacious room. It was more opulently decorated than the club down below. Screens showing live security footage of the entire club covered one wall. Pool tables, plush couches, flat screen T.V.s, coffee tables and refrigerators occupied the rest of the space as well as important looking people. _

"_Hello boys. So good of you to come." A nasal voice said sickly sweetly._

"_You didn't give us the choice." Zion said with a neutral smile._

"_Ah but from what I've seen you could have refused." _

"_I suppose but you got me interested. Not a lot of people do that." Zion replied with a respectful inclination of his head towards the man._

_Zion saw drugs all over the place. Trunks was to bouncy to notice much besides the fridges._

"_Hay can I have some food. Dancing makes you hungry you know." Trunks spoke out so fast that he almost tripped over the words._

"_Sure, help yourself." _

_Trunks immediately dove at the nearest fridge gobbling down the contents so fast that he almost choked, which is saying something since he was half Sayian. There was a moment of shocked silence as everyone watched Trunks practically hover the food into his mouth like a vacuum cleaner. _

"_Don't mind him. He's normally painfully gentlemanly but he's been drugged." Zion said waving a hand dismissively._

"_So what bring you boys here? I haven't seen you around before."_

"_Call it a boys night out. I'm trying to teach my brother here how to have fun." Zion replied with a devilish smirk._

"_I was not under the impression that Bulma Briefs had another son." _

"_Same father, unfortunately." Zion replied disdainfully._

"_That wasn't mentioned in the profile either."_

"_Well since you insist, I just got here. I've been living off planet for a while." Zion said with a sigh uncurling his tail at the same time._

"_Bulma Briefs' lover was an alien. That means that the boy over there is half. . ."_

"_Half of an asshole too? Yeah." Zion supplied, "What interest of yours is it of our identities. You seem awfully concerned about Bulma Briefs." Zion said suspiciously but Trunks knew that he was playing._

_There was no answer. Zion walked over to where Trunks was still eating food at an alarming rate and picked up a packet of crisps. He opened them slowly and started to eat them one by one crunching them loudly._

"_I mean I know that the woman is beautiful but you have two lovely ladies on either side of you right now. I know the woman is smart but judging by the said ladies I'd say you aren't interested in brains. It must be the money." Zion said in a thoughtful tone that set even Trunks' teeth on edge._

"_So what? Were you going to try and kidnap my brother and hold him for ransom? Were you going to force him to steal?" Zion demanded growing deadly._

_When he received no answer he blasted a nearby table with a controlled amount of Ki. Splinters flew in every direction and some of the woman screamed. _

"_Because believe me either would have been extremely hard to do." Zion said through clenched teeth._

_Trunks burped and then pardoned himself with a happy, oblivious smile stretched across his face. He squeaked when Zion hauled him to his feet and dragged him back the way they had come. Zion let go only when they were back on the dance floor. Trunks was back in full swing in no time._

_A hand curled around the side of Trunks' face and pulled his head to the side. Rough lips smashed against his before lips were at his ear whispering obscenities, very nice, interesting obscenities. Zion then yanked the wild, green haired male teenager away from Trunks and sent him on his way with one added punch to the stomach. Trunks did a double take at the fact he had just been propositioned by a green haired male. It didn't last long as the music pounded its way into his head._

_Two hours later the girl Trunks was dancing with pressed closer than was comfortable for dancing and rubbed herself against Trunks and his growing erection. Her invitation was all too clear to the demi Sayian and he wanted to take her up on that offer. _

_He snarled viciously when the girl was roughly pulled away. He spun around to see Zion shoving her into a denser crowd. Trunks swung his fist, intent on pounding Zion for awhile but Zion moved smoothly to the side causing Trunks to stumble. _

_Trunks grinned mischievously before moving towards Zion again, stalking him. Zion, not quite sure what Trunks was up to, started to back away with narrowed eyes. Those eyes widened in surprise when Trunks pounced, having backed his brother into a corner. He fused his lips with Zion's and spent a good half an hour kissing him. Zion didn't turn the tables. He let Trunks have control. He let Trunks have what he wanted knowing that the demi Sayian didn't have the concentration span to take it any further or keep it up for long, unless by some miracle he got the idea into that scattered brain of his. Right now, his actions weren't sexual. They were competitive. Zion had started a game and Trunks was unconsciously playing along._

"_I win this time." Trunks announced happily._

"_See you're learning. That's two me, one you." Zion replied looking at Trunks with a hooded gaze. _

_Trunks let go of Zion and went back to the dance floor. _

Trunks started to eat slowly when his stomach grumbled. He refused to think about what he was learning. He just concentrated on the simple act of eating. He just knew this was going to come back to him somehow, no matter how far away that club was. He was reminded that he had not woken up in the club.

"_This place is boring. Let's go somewhere new." Trunks whined at Zion who was currently kissing a smoking hot red head._

"_I'm having fun." Zion replied._

"_I'll leave without you." Trunks threatened childishly._

"_Fine but you owe me." Zion grumbled pushing the red head away. _

_They walked down the street. Trunks enjoyed the cool night air on his flushed skin. He chattered endlessly and aimlessly with Zion who was as silent as ever. Neon lights caught his attention and he immediately started walking in that direction. A large sign above the door announced rather unimaginatively MAT'S TATS. _

"_Hay I have an idea." Trunks said loudly._

"_It's probably not a good one." Zion replied staring up at the sign too. _

"_Come on." Trunks yelled grabbing the edge of Zion's shirt and tugging him inside the shop._

Trunks gulped before twisting this way and that to try and find any evidence that he had in fact gone through with his idea. His shoulder was throbbing a little bit more than the rest of his body. He twisted his head to look and groaned.

In blazing yellow, red, orange, blue and gold was a phoenix in flight, wings out stretched in a blazing glory. That was fine. Trunks could sort of live with that. It were the words inked underneath it that made him want to shot himself with his own Ki. Inked in fancy script were the not so fancy words A FUCKING SUPER SAYIAN BIRD!

"Oh man. That's going to take some explaining." Trunks muttered to himself.

Zion's idea of fun wasn't anywhere near his idea of acceptable. What more did the night's memories hold locked away. Try as he might though he couldn't remember much more than the tattoo. At least Zion had stopped him from doing something stupid like sleeping with someone. The question now became what didn't Zion stop him from doing?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

Trunks groaned and rubbed his eyes. Man oh man. The more he remembered the more he wished he didn't. The food Zion had bought up was long since consumed and only dirty dishes that needed attention remained.

Trunks stood up and then stilled, testing his balance. So far so good. He started to gather the dishes into a manageable load. His mother had come home an hour or so ago. He dreaded the fact that Zion had been with her since she had arrived. Trunks quickly pulled a clean shirt over his head to hide the hideous tattoo and then picked up his stack of dishes.

When he walked into the kitchen his mother looked at him in surprise.

"Hay Trunks, I wasn't expecting you to be out of bed so soon." Bulma said with a warm but concerned smile.

"Why? I feel fine." Trunks replied starting to wash his dishes.

"See what I mean? That boy is too stubborn for his own good." Zion said and it was only Trunks that heard the mocking.

Bulma was facing her son so she did not see the smirk that Zion sent Trunks when he glanced over his shoulder. Trunks rolled his eyes and went back to his dishes.

"Zion said that you weren't feeling well, that you were falling all over the place. He said he had to carry you home." Bulma explained with worry etched onto ever fibre of her face making her look way older than she was.

"Uhm, I guess you could say that. Something I ate I guess." Trunks replied glancing back at Zion.

Zion's smirk widened in response. He got up and disappeared. Trunks would have followed but he wanted to finish the dishes he was doing first. He started to panic when he felt Zion's Ki flare and then subside, flare again and then once more subside. It happened maybe six of seven times. What was he doing? Zion came back into the room.

He had a lazy smirk on his face, his eyes were hooded and his hands were buried in the pockets of his baggy pants. He had changed his style since coming to Earth. It consisted mostly of black and tight Tees with jeans. He had kept the blue boots though. Trunks had to admit that those were pretty awesome.

"You ready to go Zion?" Bulma asked.

Trunks heard the slight nervousness in her voice, reminding him that his mother was still trying to get used to the peculiar man that had taken up residence in her house.

"Sure." Zion replied casually.

"Where you going?" Trunks asked drying his hands.

"Oh I'm working on a new project, but I got stuck. I was sort of just letting off steam about it when Zion offered to help me. Isn't that great?" Bulma said with a smile.

"Fantastic." Trunks replied but only Zion heard the sarcasm.

Why the hell would Zion do that? He wouldn't try anything with his mother would he? Trunks wouldn't put it past him. Heck he wouldn't put anything past the alien. Perhaps he just wanted to see what kind of technology this planet put out. Maybe he'd be impressed but then maybe not.

"You'll be alright on your own, won't you?" Bulma asked, concern dampening her sudden happiness.

"I'll be fine. How long will you be gone?" Trunks replied.

"Probably the whole day." Bulma muttered already walking to the door, taking Trunks at his word, "Where is that darn thing?"

Trunks watched as his mother went to look for the capsule that held her desired vehicle. He thought about last night's remembered events and decided that his earlier bath had not been enough and went to his room to go and shower. Man his life had really gone haywire when he brought back his brother.

Man, if only he knew back then what he knew now. Life would be a lot simpler. Zion seemed to have adjusted to the darker side of the human nature rather well, unfortunately. Did he learn all the wrong things on purpose or was it just the way he naturally was. Trunks didn't know enough about Sayians to know whether or not they had strong emotions. They obviously had some sort of emotional response but how strong? What about Zion's mother? From what he had seen and heard she was also capable but also how strong?

The water was piping hot making Trunks sigh in content. He shampooed his lavender hair, scrubbing extra hard just in case. The white soapy suds washed away from his hair and down the drain with a slight gurgle.

"I thought that we'd already gotten this out of the way." A voice whispered in his ear.

Trunks spun around only to see nothing. His heart was pounding in his chest and his breathing was racing. He tried to calm both. Must have been his imagination.

He froze when a surprisingly hot furry appendage wrapped around his waist and with even more surprising strength yanked him backwards.

"Too slow little brother." Zion chuckled, "That woman will be awhile, finding the vehicle I mean."

Zion was wearing his jeans at least, but nothing else. Trunks wasn't wearing anything. Man he needed to start wearing swimming shorts in to shower? That was just irritating. He lived here after all. Why should he have to hide?

Zion's arm snaked across his chest, his hand touching the top of Trunks' shoulder. He didn't miss the fact that it was the one with the tattoo. A curious tingling started to blend in with the throbbing. Trunks looked down and say the atrocious words and picture starting to change, get darker. He sucked in a breath when the tingling turned to pain and the ink started to seep out of his skin like a wound. Had Zion not been holding him up, he would have hit the ground already.

"Cute as it was, I didn't think it was worthy of the great Sayian Prince." Zion whispered in his ear mockingly.

"You have no idea how contradicting you are." Trunks said.

"Oh but I do." Zion replied moving his hand from Trunks' shoulder to his chin, tilting his head so that Trunks was forced to look at Zion's face and see that infuriating smug smirk.

"Don't you da–" Trunks began but his words were cut off as certain areas of his body were invaded.

Zion's tail had moved lower, too low for any sort of comfort.

"Don't what?" Zion asked.

Trunks swallowed and tried to push away from Zion. He might have been a human trying to push a mountain for all the good he achieved. His first reaction had been paralysing shock, even sort of returning the attention he had received. The second time had been explosive anger. The third had been triumph for his false victory. This time it was more like waiting. Waiting for it to be over? Waiting for an opportunity to strike back? Waiting to see what would happen next? Trunks could tell which, maybe all.

"Now let's see. If you had taken precautions, you would have won. You didn't so you lose. That makes us at three me and one you. However I still think that it shouldn't count seeing as you were drugged." Zion said casually as though he wasn't currently violating Trunks.

Therapy. Jip that's what Trunks needed. Never mind his creep of a brother. No, he was a lost cause. Trunks was in desperate need of a good spar as well but he had no one to spar with other than the man in front of him. There was no way he was going to do that.

"You're the one that drugged me." Trunks said trying to grab Zion's tail which was awfully good at evading capture.

"Again I point out the fact that I didn't make you drink the coke. It should in all fairness since you did drink the coke be four me and one you but I'll let that slide, as well as let you keep your victory just to show you what a good sport I am." Zion replied finally letting go of Trunks and walking out of the large shower.

Trunks stood for a long time under the water trying not to break down, trying not to let his emotions choke and overwhelm him. He couldn't let his brother do this to him. He had to find a way to stop him. He scrubbed himself for a good half an hour, thanking his mother's love of long piping hot showers. She had had bigger geysers put in because of it.

True to Zion's statement, Bulma had only found the capsule just as Trunks was walking back into the kitchen. He liked the fact that Zion had somehow managed to remove his hideous tattoo, taking away the one physical remainder he had of the previous night.

"You two have fun now." Trunks said as the two got into a hover craft.

Trunks sent his brother a warning look, daring him to try anything. What good he could actually do if Zion decided to take him up on his dare was another matter entirely. Trunks watched the craft take off and hover away. A flutter in the corner of his vision brought his attention to a piece of paper he was standing on. He picked it up. It was charred and practically crumbled in his light grip. It had been in its previous life a newspaper before it had died and gone on to be dust particles. Now he knew what Zion had been doing, blasting newspapers.

Trunks went up to his room to get his supplies. He intended to take full advantage of his creepy brother's absence and head straight for the third energy pod. Sitting innocently on his bed was a copy of the day's newspaper. Front page was him and Zion and their adventure the night before. Trunks didn't even want to read it. He blasted it with a snarl and went to finish his self set project.

Three hours later Trunks whipped the grim from his hands and picked up the neon blue cylinder. These babies were not easy to find. Experience from trying to track down the first three had taught him a little about hunting them down. He carefully opened the last pod holder and removed the now dull, barely there blue cylinder. He grinned as he clipped in the last cylinder. Oh yeah. Zion was in for it now.


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter makes reference to chapter 22 in Vegeta's first son: Zion, the untold story. Man I really, really need to change that name.**

Chapter 7.

Yes! Trunks was finally done. He whooped and capsulated the time machine. He wanted to get food first and at least a clean set of clothes. He would have showered as well but the idea wasn't a very welcoming one. He took off into the air, leaving the rubble of another ruined city behind.

He felt lighter, more at ease. Flying had never been this much fun! He took his time on the way back. He knew that his mother was on her way there with Zion in toe. He also knew that Zion was sure to come looking for him. The separation of the two Ki signals before reaching Capsule corp. was all Trunks needed to know that Zion was on his way. He wasn't going to try anything again was he?

Trunks flew faster so that he could get home faster, where his mother was headed as well. A tiny voice reminded him that his mother had been around during some of his encounters and it really made no difference now.

"Hay little brother." Zion said stopping midair and changing direction so that he was flying the same way as Trunks.

"Hello Zion." Trunks replied warily.

"What did you do today?" Zion asked mockingly.

"Blast rubble." Trunks replied, only half truthfully.

"Still doing that?" Zion asked with a frown.

"Not anymore, clearly." Trunks replied blandly.

Zion stayed silent as they descended down towards the ground. Trunks walked towards the kitchen where he sensed his mother's Ki. He plastered a smile on his face before walking into the room.

"Hay mom." Trunks said brightly.

"Hay honey. Did you have fun today?" Bulma replied starting to make dinner.

"Jip. It was a very rewarding day." Trunks replied with genuine happiness.

"You were blasting rubble." Zion said with a snort sitting down at the table.

"The way I see it I was removing the physical traces that still remain to remind us of a past no one really wants to remember." Trunks argued.

Zion didn't reply. His little brother had once again unknowingly shaken his barriers and managed to chip another piece of the thick layer of ice around his heart.

"That's a very nice and insightful thing to say Trunks." Bulma said proudly.

"Yeah, too bad I can't remove the mental traces as well." Trunks muttered pouring himself a glass of juice and automatically one for Zion as well.

He knew by the freshly emptied glass by the sink that his mother had just had one. Zion stared at the glass with a slight almost undetectable frown. He seemed almost confused. He shrugged and downed the glass in one gulp, placing the empty glass back on the table. Trunks rolled his eyes and picked it up, placing it next to the one by the sink.

Bulma chattered to them while she cooked. Trunks commented when it was necessary and Zion said nothing. He was back to the silent statue. Trunks almost, almost preferred him that way.

Bulma finished to cooking and began to place plates on the table. Zion dug in and Trunks took an empty plate. He picked a few things carefully, adding to the plate as his mother put more food on the table. When she sat down he then put the plate down in front of her. Only then did he start to eat.

Sometimes it worried him at the amount of food his mother ate. She ate so little and every time he broached the subject she would laugh and remind him that she was only human. Still, it worried him.

Zion ate less than usual. He stood, looking lost in a world of his own thoughts. His tail was even curling and uncurling behind him. He walked out of the room, waving a hand as he left. The empty and dirty dishes on the table rose and the sink started to fill with water by itself. The dirty dishes then started to wash themselves.

"Well that's handy." Bulma commented with a smile.

Trunks finished the food remaining without a problem. He noticed that as a plate was emptied it joined the others in being washed. Trunks yawned when he was done, eager to go to bed.

"You tired honey?" Bulma asked noticing the yawn.

"Yeah, been a long couple of days." Trunks replied.

"Go to bed." Bulma said with a motherly smile shoving the teen towards the door.

He nodded and walked to his room already removing his jacket and shirt. He already knew that Zion was not in his room. Trunks flopped down on his bed and tossed the covered over his body. He hadn't even made his bed that morning. He kicked off his boots and shoved them out the bottom of the bed with his feet. He closed his eyes already half asleep. After all he was pretty darn sure that he had not gotten much sleep the previous night.

* * *

><p>Zion sat on his self appointed bed staring out the window. What was with that boy? He just didn't give up. Was it programmed into his every fibre to be a goody two shoes?<p>

Zion had tried to get the boy to back off, to accept that they could never be brothers, not in the way he unconsciously wanted. He had even tried to scare him away by playing his games, but no. Trunks had surprised him by playing with him. He had tried to be cruel, even suggesting that he could give the boy back his friends but point blank refusing not to.

The only reason he was still there was because the boy fascinated him. He was unlike anything Zion had ever been exposed to. His life had consisted of murderous aliens that cared little for anything else other than their own pathetic lives. Trunks had been the first being to ever risk his own life for Zion's and in a small way it scared him. Trunks hadn't even known him, hadn't even known if Zion would kill him for looking at him funny. Zion could kill the boy easily, had wanted to on more than one occasion, but something held him back.

He snarled quietly to himself. What was it about the boy? Was it the infuriatingly easy well natured smile or his constant unthinking unselfish actions? What it the blood connection? No, Zion had seen it himself how blood meant nothing other than the same parentage. Sp why did he persist? Playing the games were fun, yes, but Zion could feel the boy starting to crack. He did not want that. He never wanted to break the boy. His fire was too bright and fascinating.

A small whimper dragged him out of his thoughts. He looked at his slightly open door. No light slipped through so that meant they were all in bed. Besides the Ki signals indicated that the household was asleep. Trunks had been the one to whimper.

Zion stood and silently walked out of the room and down the hall to where the boy was sleeping. His door was open a crack as well. Zion pushed it open silently.

Trunks was sprawled on the bed, lavender hair tousled. His Ki was fluctuating slightly and his eyes were scrunched up. Zion cocked his head to the side. He studied the boy blankly. He walked closer and knelt down in front of him, breaking through the barriers in his mind easily.

_The city was burning. Explosions rocked the ground as his mother frantically drove the jeep away from the dust clouded city. Tears streamed down a young Trunks' face as yet another city was destroyed for the enjoyment of monsters. There was nothing he could do. _

"_It's ohkay Trunks. We're going to be fine." Bulma said._

"_But they won't be." Trunks replied too softly for her to hear. _

_More explosions sent clouds of dust and smoke into the air. Suddenly Bulma screamed and slammed on the breaks. _

"_Where do you think you're going?" Android 17 asked coolly._

_His eyes were cold, emotionless. The grin that stretched his features did nothing to calm the two occupants of the car. _

"_Thought you could get away, did you?" Android 17 continued floating up into the air as Bulma screamed._

Zion pulled out of the boy's mind, having seen enough. The threat may have been gone but they still tormented the boy. He studied the boy's tormented face a moment longer before speaking words in his mother's tongue. It was understood by all even if they knew not the meaning of the words. As each word left his mouth it felt like a physical blow to his gut.

"Fear not little one I will always protect you."

Zion walked out of the room feeling stripped, raw. Emotions were not him and the purple haired half breed was beginning to make him make promises. You never made promises. They were meant to be broken.

* * *

><p>Unknown to Zion a figure had appeared in Trunks' dream. This figure swooped in like a super hero and killed the androids. He picked up the small boy into his arms and hugged him close, whispering "Fear not little one I will always protect you."<p>

* * *

><p>Trunks woke up early the next morning. He vividly remembered his dream but he wasn't going to say anything. He tossed the blankets aside and stood, going to the bathroom and brushing his teeth and hair.<p>

He got dressed still feeling tired but he knew that once he was awake he could never go back to sleep for a while. He yawned and walked into the kitchen searching for the cereal. He took out two bowls and two boxes. Zion wouldn't be far behind him.

As he was munching down his second bowl of cereal Zion walked into the kitchen. He looked like he had not slept but he didn't look tired, just deep in thought once more.

"Morning." Trunks chirped tiredly.

Zion glanced at him before turning to look at the second empty bowl on the table. He seemed to fall even more silent at the sight.

"What?" Trunks asked.

"Nothing." Zion said sitting down and starting to pour milk and cereal into the bowl.

Today was the day that Trunks went back in time. He could hardly wait. All he needed was better insight to Zion's damaged mind. He didn't know that he was already winning. How could he?

He finished his breakfast and rinsed out his bowl, humming slightly to himself. He hadn't done that in years.

"I'm going to blast rubble." Trunks said going to a window.

His mother wasn't even up yet but Trunks was hoping to be back before she even knew he was gone. Zion just nodded absently.

Trunks had to be fast if he wanted to make it out of there without Zion noticing. Trunks didn't know that Zion already knew exactly what his brother was up to.

Trunks clicked his capsule and hopped into the time machine before the smoke even cleared. Zion was right behind him but only he was throwing up a Ki shield that refracted the light around him to make it seem as though he was invisible. As the machine rose and started to disappear Zion grabbed hold and redirected it to the appropriate time and place.

* * *

><p>Two seconds passed and nothing happened. However no one let down their guard. The Sayians at the landing bay bowed respectively. They hadn't sensed the ripple and were confused as to why the others looked so serious. A <em>zap<em> sound echoed across the open skies and slammed into their eardrums.

"Up there." Gohan said pointing.

Vegeta looked up to see a familiar yet unstable looking ship. It didn't look like the thing flew very well at all but he knew that that was not the ships purpose. It wasn't even a ship at all. It was a time machine.

Vegeta's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. He sensed two new Ki's that were also familiar and extremely powerful. It was Zion and Trunks.

"Hay aren't those things built for one?" Kakarot asked also frowning.

The time machine lowered to the floor and they all saw a very disgruntled Trunks sitting inside. He could also sense his brother and was angry that he had even managed to tag along. The top opened and he jumped out. He looked exactly the same age as when he had left, albeit a lot more serious and a heck of a lot irritated. Instead of looking at them he shot back into the sky.

"ZION! You enormous jerk! Where the hell did you bring me? I was trying to go to Earth!" he screamed too angry to care that his father was standing right there.

"Enormous jerk? Come on little brother you can be more creative than that." A disembodied voice replied.

Trunks ignored that and landed next to Vegeta. He fumed and cursed for a good ten minutes. Everyone was too surprised to say anything. While fuming and cursing he packed the time machine back into its capsule. Trunks surprised them all by charging up a ball of Ki and throwing it into the sky. It stopped and Zion's hand started to appear. When he was fully visible every one unconsciously cringed back. He was smirking like Vegeta had when he had first come to Earth and it didn't inspire trust when Zion easily squeezed down on Trunks' blast making it disappear in a shower of sparks.

"Now, now Trunks, there's no need to throw your toys out the cot." Zion tsked.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Trunks yelled back positively fuming.

Vegeta couldn't help but notice the tension between the two. The generally well natured boy was in a rage that not even he could work him into and he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"I thought you said that the time machine didn't work." Zion said, his eyes narrowing and the smirk disappearing even though he already knew what his brother's reply was going to be.

"No I said it was out of energy. You never asked if it could be replaced. Now what the HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Trunks yelled finally loosing it.

"I followed you and pushed you in the right direction. After all you were headed to earth and the people you want aren't on earth." Zion replied tonelessly.

Trunks grumbled under his breath and Vegeta caught something that sounded like 'can't even take a shit without him there' Vegeta decided it best not to ask. Trunks didn't know what upset him the most: the fact that Zion was right or the fact that he was there. Trunks then looked to his left and at Vegeta.

"Wow you look almost the same." he commented with his usual smile.

His eyes flickered nervously towards Zion but Zion was still up in the sky, watching. He knew that Zion had major issues with their father and prayed that the demi Sayian wouldn't try to kill him of something.

"What are you doing here boy?" Vegeta asked.

"Well I actually came to see Zion." Trunks replied going red.

"You look like you've been through the wars. Didn't you defeat the androids?" Kakarot asked scratching the back of his neck.

"No um I um don't get much um sleep." Trunks replied evasively and turning a bright pink, not prepared to tell them about the nightmares and the late nights thanks to Zion.

"Why do you need Zion?" Gohan asked trying to change the subject.

"He wants little me because he keeps losing our games." Zion suddenly cut in.

"I have already told you that I do not want to play your games!" Trunks yelled up at his brother, having no patience for the man today.

Vegeta studied this older Zion closer. He was about twenty years old. He looked the same as the younger Zion except for the look in his eye. It was a look that Vegeta knew all too well. He had seen it every day as he had grown up. Some of the Sayians had it. He himself had even had it at one time. It was a look that told him that this Zion could kill them all and still sleep peacefully at night. Vegeta immediately doubled his guard. He wondered if Trunks knew this and if he did why did he keep yelling so manically at the man?

This Zion's Ki was also different. It was still Zion but it was larger, more. It was as though it were connected to everything around them and then some. Was this because he was older? Younger Zion's Ki almost felt . . . broken in comparison.

The King chose that second to arrive. He looked at the older version of Trunks and Zion. His eyes clouded over with brief confusion before hardening and looking to Vegeta for answers.

"Remember how we told you that it was Trunks that killed Frieza and his father?" Vegeta asked and the King nodded, "Well if you had been paying attention to everything you would have realised that Trunks wasn't even born yet or at the very least too young. This is the Trunks that killed Frieza and his father. He is from the future and an alternate dimension."

The King's eyes widened only a little. He looked back at Trunks who was scowling at the Zion in the sky who was sneering right back. Trunks abruptly turned on his heel and started to walk into the palace, muttering to himself the whole time. He was planning on finding the Zion on this time and having a nice long chat with him. Vegeta looked at Kakarot and just shrugged , following. Zion landed and started to walk after his brother with a wicked smile on his face. Vegeta and Gohan quickly hurried after the group.

"Are you going to be mad at me the whole day?" Zion asked walking faster so that he was next to Zion.

"Right now I'm thinking of using the machine and telling myself to never go and get you. At least on version of me will be happy." Trunks snapped back.

Zion's expression never changed but to those that really knew him (Not that there were any) they would have seen the micro second of hurt that crossed his features.

Trunks opened a door. Vegeta could sense irregular flares of Ki coming from inside indicating that a battle was taking place. They all ducked as a ball of Ki whizzed past their heads.

"Opps. Sorry." Trunks yelled.

They all walked into the room. Vegeta looked up to see two heavily panting boys grinning down at them. Zion's grin faded when he saw his future self. His eyes flickered from future Trunks to future Zion. They both lowered to the floor.

Future Zion snarled and barrelled through everyone standing in front of him. Zion's eyes widened and he took a step backwards before he was thrown against a wall. He landed with an oaf on the floor and the breath whooshed from his lungs. He struggled into a sitting position wheezing.

Future Zion walked over to him, hand raised. His palm shimmered as the Ki swirled just below the surface. Future Trunks ran at his brother and tried to yank his arm down but future Zion was paying no attention to him. All of his focus was centred on the boy in front of him. In the one second as the two stared at each other Vegeta saw the real Zion. He saw the lost little boy for who he was and realised that Zion had never worked out his issues as he had so adamantly assured them he had. He had just been pretending.

"This isn't your reality to change." Trunks hissed at his brother trying to reason with him.

Trunks had never seen the guy like this at all. He was angry and offended and surprisingly sad, maybe even suffering.

"He should die! It's a mercy, really." Zion yelled back.

"This isn't your world. You can't just change everything and leave." Trunks argued back.

"Had he been with my mother's people he would already be dead." Zion snarled back angrily.

"True as that may be, Trunks is right Zion. Killing this version of yourself, no matter how merciful it may be, will destroy this world. It is not your reality to change my son."

Both of the Zions froze at the sound of that voice and surprisingly so did Vegeta. Vegeta turned around and saw Gaya standing in the door way of the room. Her halo was just as unsettling as the first time he had seen it.

"He's pathetic. I do him a favour." Future Zion argued without turning around.

"He suffers enough. Do not kill him. He knows that if he dies this world has no chance." Gaya replied.

"I do not listen to YOU anymore. You left me." Zion replied calmly and somehow this was even more dangerous than the yelling.

Trunks prayed that Gaia would stay. He prayed that she would explain to him the reality of his situation. No one was listening to his prayers.

"As you wish my son." Gaya replied before fading away.

The Ki in Zion's hand started to glow brighter. Trunks had to do something. He would never be able to forgive himself if Zion actually killed his younger self.

"Wait." Vegeta said walking towards the man.

"For what?" Zion snapped back.

He had single minded focus. To change his mind was going to be difficult. Zion wouldn't look at Vegeta and Vegeta realised that from the moment he had arrived he had made a point not to acknowledge him.

"Why don't you help him instead?" Vegeta said neutrally.

Future Zion started to laugh. It was cruel and humourless. He looked at the younger Zion and laughed even harder. He then turned and looked at Vegeta. Vegeta saw the undisguised hatred but he refused to step back.

"You think he's pathetic. Don't try to deny it. I can see the truth. You wish he were like me. You haven't realised this yet but you will, in time, when you need him most and he cannot do what needs to be done. There is a part of you that you cannot escape no matter how hard you try. The part of you that Frieza raised." Future Zion said softly so that only Vegeta could hear him.

Vegeta didn't reply as the man walked to the younger Zion. He bent so that he was level with the boy.

"I won't kill you. You being alive is punishment enough. Killing you will be a mercy _he_ doesn't deserve. Know this however, the moment of complete acceptance is the moment you are strongest." Future Zion said before backing away.

As he walked out of the room Zion yelled after him, "If you make any brats you take them with you."

Future Zion just smirked at him. Younger Trunks was staring at future Trunks with pure excitement. The moment Future Zion was gone he let the excitement explode.

"Wow! I've only heard stories about you. I mean it was weird hearing stories about me and the stuff I did even though I hadn't done it you know . . ."

"Hay little me, do you mind if I talk to your brother?" Future Trunks said quickly.

Trunks nodded and kept quiet.

"I need your help." Future Trunks stated bluntly.

"I cannot help you Trunks. I know what you want and I cannot help you. He is as different from me as that boy is from you. We are the same but different." Zion replied not meeting his gaze.

"So there is nothing you can do, nothing I can do?" Future Trunks asked.

"There is one thing you can hope to happen. He has yet to find his mate. That may help, it may not. However it is another matter entirely as to whether or not he will hear it when the call comes." Zion replied looking directly at Trunks.

"How will I know if he has found his mate?" Future Trunks asked.

"He will never leave her alone. She may think he has but he won't, never. The process however doesn't happen quickly. He just may become even grouchier than he is now." Zion replied with a small smile.

"Great." Future Trunks muttered sarcastically.

"What exactly is the problem?" Vegeta asked genuinely confused with the conversation.

"Zion is . . . he's . . . different." Trunks replied with difficulty.

"Oh please, don't sugar coat it. He's an ass." Zion scoffed.

"Yeah well that." Future Trunks said going red.

"Why the hell did you take the collar off?" Zion asked shaking his head.

"I couldn't leave him like that." Future Trunks muttered under his breath.

"He would have left you." Zion said but not harshly, almost sympathetically and Future trunks believed him.

"Yeah well I'd better go and make sure he doesn't cause trouble." Future Trunks said already walking out the room.

There was silence as everyone processed what had happened. With future Trunks out of the room they could actually try and sort what had happened out. Vegeta was more confused than anything else.

"I wonder how long they'll be staying." Trunks mused out loud.

"Hopefully not long." Zion replied with a wary sigh.

"I'm still trying to figure out what the hell just happened." Gohan said.

"Oh. Trunks wanted to see if I could help him understand Zion better. The problem is we're not the same, not any more. So I can't help him. Zion gives him a hard time." Zion replied with a smile at the pronouns.

"Oh. Now I understand why he was so mad when he found out Zion was with him." Kakarot said.

"Yeah. He was hoping to make this a solo trip." Zion replied.

Vegeta was too busy thinking about what the future version of his son had said. It was unsettling to think that something major was on the way. However that was nothing compared to the insinuation he had made. He had said Vegeta would always be a killer. He would always be cruel, evil, heartless. Was what he had said true or was he just messing with Vegeta? There was no way to know for sure.

Future Trunks realised that he had no idea where he was or for that matter what the others were doing there. He didn't sense the other Z warriors. They were either dead or back on Earth. He turned around and headed back towards the room to ask. As he got closer he heard snippets of the conversation.

"Do you think he'll come to Bra's birthday party tomorrow?" Trunks asked looking a little worried.

"Who's Bra?" future Trunks asked walking back into the room.

"Your sister." Vegeta replied with just a hint of softening in his voice.

"Then I'm staying for sure. Wow! I have a sister. Can I meet her? How old is she?" future Trunks asked smiling broadly for the first time since he had arrived.

"It's her first birthday tomorrow." Kakarot said happily.

Vegeta shook his head. He knew that Kakarot was only excited because of the food. That was all that Sayian ever thought about.

"Great! I guess I can go home after the party then. So where are we anyways, that's why I came back?" future Trunks asked looking around.

"Planet Vegeta." Vegeta replied casually.

"Planet Vegeta! I thought it was destroyed. Did you guys use the Dragon Balls to wish it back?" future Trunks asked in alarm.

Zion phased out of sight and reappeared covering future Trunks' mouth with his hand. He hissed into future Trunks' ear to not say anything about the Dragon Balls ever again. Future Trunks nodded but they could all see the confusion in his eyes.

"Zion and Gaya were keeping it alive and hidden. They froze it in the moment it was supposed to be destroyed so everyone is a little behind the times." Vegeta explained looking around to see if any of the Sayians were around.

None were and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hay let's go find Bulma and Gure. They said something about lunch and who knows maybe Chi Chi is with them." Kakarot suggested happily.

Trunks and Goten were whispering to one another. They kept looking at Trunks. Vegeta watched this with a smirk on his face. They boys may have matured but they weren't above the odd prank or two every now and again.

"What are you guys up to?" Gohan asked also noticing their behaviour.

"Nothing. We were just wondering who was stronger." Trunks replied with a shrug.

"Well I don't think you can keep up. After all you aren't even old enough to be a super Sayian yet." Future Trunks replied with a well natured smile.

Trunks laughed at him before turning into a super Sayian, "I've been a super Sayian for as long as I can remember."

"Really? It took me forever. Well at least it felt like it. I was thirteen when I made the transformation." Future Trunks replied in awe.

"Jip. So who do you think is more powerful?" Trunks asked powering down.

"Me of course. I made the ascended super Sayian level the other day." Future Trunks replied with a smirk.

Trunks had not made the ascended super Sayian level and knew a lost fight when he saw one. He graciously stepped back, bowing slightly in respect. It was a Sayian custom and it was unusual for Trunks to do it. Usually Sayians were doing it to him.

"Lunch sounds like a great idea." Gohan said loudly reminding them all of Kakarot's earlier suggestion.

They walked as a group to where Bulma and Gure already were. Future Trunks glared when he saw that Zion was there holding a tiny blue haired girl. He was smiling but future Trunks could see the malicious gleam in his eyes. He wouldn't do anything would he?

"Oh Vegeta, have you met Zion from the future? He's such a wonderful man." Bulma practically gushed.

Vegeta looked at the man holding his daughter. Their eyes met and Vegeta saw the smirk in them. By winning over the women, as he had so successfully done, they couldn't get rid of him.

They all said nothing, somehow agreeing to let the matter rest for now. They all sat down to have lunch while future Trunks and future Zion played with their never to be born little sister Bra. Trunks felt angry and miserable that he'd never have a sister in his own time. This tiny blue haired princess was his sister but she'd never exist for him. Zion could most probably change that but he never would. Trunks just knew he wouldn't. He didn't know that Zion's thought were also a little miserable and also about the little blue haired princess. For now though they took the opportunity to get to know Bra. She enjoyed the attention as all babies did.

Vegeta watched carefully but he was painfully aware of the fact that should either Zion do anything he was powerless to stop him. Future Trunks seemed to have a small amount of control over his unruly brother and he didn't appear to want to harm the girl.

Vegeta walked out with the King and future Trunks couldn't help but notice the tension between the two. He wondered what the deal was. He'd never get the answer to that question. He couldn't stay long enough to.

* * *

><p>"So where are you sleeping tonight?" Future Trunks asked the older version of his brother.<p>

"Probably in the room of some Sayian girl." Zion replied with a smirk.

"Great." Future Trunks replied sarcastically and rolling his eyes.

"You should try it." Zion suggested with a wicked grin.

"No I'm good. This isn't my reality to mess around in, remember?" Trunks reminded the man.

"Whatever you say, or is it whatever makes you sleep at night." Zion replied walking away and towards some poor unsuspecting Sayian girl.

Trunks had asked his mother where there were guest rooms he could use and headed there now. He didn't sleep. He monitored the older Zion's Ki. He knew by the consistence and the general direction that Zion wasn't having fun with some local but rather sitting up high somewhere. The level of his Ki said that he was using it to keep himself warm.

Trunks sighed and flew to where Zion was. He was sitting on a balcony railing. Trunks was surprised to know that it was raining. Zion was thoroughly soaked.

"This my dear brother is your Kingdom. This is your birthright and this is the heritage your father fought so diligently for." Zion said quietly when Trunks was near enough.

"You can't miss something you never had." Trunks replied sitting down next to Zion.

"That's just it, it calls to you. Can you hear it?" Zion replied looking very far away.

He wasn't meaning literally. He was meaning every time he fought could he hear the way his blood sang with joy and triumph, could he hear the whispers begging him for more, could he hear the bloodlust that yanked him out of his sleep in a hot sweaty yet not unpleasantly so tangled heap? Yes he heard the call of his Sayian nature but his human side was repulsed by it.

"So is my mother's." Zion replied quietly having heard or guessed his brother's thoughts.

* * *

><p>Vegeta saw future Trunks sitting with his younger self and an empty chair. He wondered where the older version of Zion was. Future Trunks saw his gaze and stood. He walked over to his father with a frown.<p>

"Zion said he had a late night and was said he'd be a little late." Future Trunks explained.

Vegeta said nothing. It was not his place to say anything. Food was piled high and plentiful as everyone started the festivities now that the Princess had arrived.

Vegeta stood close to his little girl at all times keeping a watchful eye on her. Future Zion arrived with a Sayian female on his arm. He was smiling lazily. He drifted around the party guests, mingling and charming everyone. Zion couldn't have been more right when he had said that they had nothing in common. Younger Zion as it was, was sitting practically in a corner.

Future Zion eventually made his way over to where Bra was. He smiled at the girl and held out his hand in front of her. She watched curiously as a spot of light started to form. It grew and swirled turning into a ribbon of sparkling of silver Ki. It wrapped around her and as it moved the paint was disappearing. It soaked into her skin making her giggle.

"What did you do?" Vegeta asked.

He knew that the man had considered ignoring him but Bulma had walked over so he had to answer.

"She's going to grow up in a world filled with fighters. I just gave her the ability to kick some serious butt. When she's older she will be a great fighter. She already had the potential but learning takes up unnecessary time. So I made it instinctual for her. She'll even kick your ass." Future Zion explained.

"She'll have the same fighting ability as you?" Bulma asked.

"Jip. Unbeatable." future Zion replied with a smirk.

He walked away then. Vegeta didn't know whether the gesture was a gift or not. He supposed only time would tell. To future Zion it was most probably the best gift anyone could ever receive Vegeta reasoned. After all in his world weakness of any kind was not tolerated. It made him grateful to the man in at least that small way.

Bra had waddled a little away from them but Vegeta was never far. In her tiny hand she held a biscuit. She walked over to a Sayian who was talking to the King. Vegeta watched in amazement as she tugged on his hand and offered him the biscuit. No Sayian child would ever do it so he reasoned it was her human side.

The Sayian looked down in irritation and swatted her hand away. Bra smile disappeared and tears glittered in her eyes. Vegeta was about to attack the Sayian when a figure flew at the Sayian with an enraged snarl. They were all more than surprised when it turned out to be future Zion. He and the Sayian fell to the floor and slid across it. The Sayian was trying to figure out what had hit him when Zion was in his face again. He punched the Sayian so hard that he was out cold. Future Zion spat on the floor in disgust.

"Weakling." he snarled at the Sayian but he never heard it.

Future Zion froze suddenly and his eyes widened. He blinked and then looked at the unconscious Sayian and then at Bra who had been shocked out of her tears. He snarled again in anger and started to storm out of the room. He passed future Trunks who was watching him with silent interest.

"This is all YOUR fault." He snapped at the purple haired boy.

"What exactly did I do wrong this time?" future Trunks replied drily.

"A good warrior never has any ATTACHMENTS!" future Zion screamed angrily punching his brother on the last word.

The younger Zion decided to step in at that point. He walked towards his older self circling so that he was in front of him.

"Don't you think you've caused enough trouble?" Zion asked calmly.

"Watch it! Just because I decided not to kill you yesterday does not mean I won't change my mind today."

"You're forgetting something." Zion replied unfazed.

"Oh and what would that be?" future Zion asked with a harsh laugh.

"I don't have to sustain a Planet anymore." Zion replied before he slammed his fist into his older self's stomach.

Future Zion's eyes bulged as he doubled over. He had not been dealt a blow that had actually hurt in a long time. He coughed before he could stop himself. Zion's knee slammed into his jaw.

"You need to wake up and realise what's important. You cannot continue on this path. It will destroy you. You have to have something to fight for and that means attachments." Zion told his older self calmly.

"What do you know of my destiny?"

"You know as well as I do that he's out there and one way or another one of us has to die. Now tell me something, your mate, has she called yet?" Zion asked changing his tone to cheerful.

When future Zion glared at the floor Zion's smile faded. He knelt down in front of his older self.

"You are afraid that she has called but you did not hear." Zion stated.

Future Zion snarled in warning. Zion ignored it and pinned his older self to the floor. He gripped the back of his older self's neck and he stopped struggling and grit his teeth in silent pain. His body was tensed up as Zion did whatever it was he was doing. He let go and future Zion scrambled away from him.

"You know it's odd looking at my own future but whatever. She has not but she will soon." Zion said with a smile.

He got a hiss of anger as a reply. Future Zion stormed out of the room.

"What's his problem now?" future Trunks asked massaging a bruise.

"He's just mad because he's starting to care." Zion replied with a grin.

Vegeta had learned a lot, yet more question had been born as he had watched his sons converse. Who was this person that Zion kept making references to and who was this mate?


	8. Chapter 8

**Between moving and waiting for the phone company to reinstall the fucking internet everything was so fricken delayed. Please excuse all bad language, there are just no words in the English language to aptly describe how I feel.**

Chapter 8.

Trunks capsulated the time machine and tucked it into his pocket. He looked around at the desert wasteland around them and sighed.

"Why the long face brother?" Zion asked.

"It's just that every time I see them it reminds me exactly what I've lost, what I'll never get back. What makes it worse is that, that wasn't even all of them." Trunks replied sitting down.

If one looked long enough or carefully enough or even if one knew what to look for in the first place, one would see the battle scars that littered this landscape. Piles of rubble and dust had once been tall unmovable mountains. Black scorch marks, testimony to the fact that something hot enough to melt rock had been there. Craters varying in size dented what had once been smooth ground.

"Where are we?" Zion asked sitting down next to Trunks.

"This is the place where our father fought Goku and lost for the first time, starting the never resolved rivalry between the two." Trunks replied distantly.

Zion was silent as he surveyed the land, taking in all the damage.

"You know, Zion from the other timeline told me to tell you something." Trunks said quietly.

He hadn't been planning on saying anything just yet but what was the point of putting it off?

"Oh and what was that?" Zion replied not looking at the lavender haired teen next to him.

"He told me where you were and to find you. He told me to tell you when I did find you that it is time and to find the lost one as well." Trunks replied with a sigh, "He said you'd understand."

"It means that I must find our uncle Tarble and that we must go to Planet Vegeta." Zion stated simply.

"You mean it's still here, in this timeline?" Trunks asked in surprise.

"Of course it is. The timeline changed when you went back not before then." Zion replied as though he thought Trunks was stupid.

"Oh. It's still kind of weird." Trunks replied sheepishly.

"So how do you feel about space?" Zion asked with a grin.  
>"Space?" Trunks asked.<p>

"Well outer space of course. I think it's time to get this mission over and done with." Zion reiterated.

"I think I should ask my mother first." Trunks replied looking in the direction that he could feel his mother's Ki coming from.

"Well why doesn't that surprise me." Zion said with a snort and rolling his eyes.

He took off into the air and Trunks followed him. He watched once more as Zion zoomed through the air, having fun with the simple act of flying. Trunks was amazed by the sometimes innocence of his otherwise not so innocent brother. Was he like that by choice or through the way he had been brought up. Trunks took his time to allow his brother more time to play. He wondered whether or not the games were over or if Zion was just waiting for the moment when Trunks thought he was safe. Safe? Was that really the right word?

The second they landed, Bulma raced out of the house looking frantic.

"Where the heck have you two been?" she demanded rather loudly.

"Hi mom. Just how long have we been gone exactly?" Trunks asked blushing.

"A week! How can you not know? Not to mention all the news reports I've been getting. You went to A NIGHTCLUB!" Bulma responded even louder.

"You did that on purpose!" Trunks accused his smirking older brother.

"Who me? I would never." Zion replied way too innocently.

Trunks was about to just launch himself at his older brother when his mother reminded him that they were in fact in the middle of a conversation, loudly he might add.

"TRUNKS BRIEFS! YOU TELL ME WHATS BEEN GOING ON AND YOU TELL ME NOW!"

"Zion and I were bonding." Trunks replied lamely and thinking as fast as he could. He couldn't tell her the truth, not ever.

"Oh! In that case stay away from anything illegal next time." Bulma said blinking in surprise.

"Speaking of, I want to take Trunks into outer space but he wanted to ask you first." Zion cut in smoothly and politely.

"Space? What on earth could you find out there?" Bulma asked even more surprised.

"Well for one thing there aren't a lot of earth things in space and for another Vegeta's younger brother and the Planet Vegeta." Zion replied with a straight face.

"Vegeta had a brother?" Bulma gasped putting a hand to her head, "I think I need to sit down."

Bulma turned and walked shakily back into the house muttering to herself. Trunks watched after her in concern. He wasn't sure if they should take her with them or leave her behind.

"We'll go get Tarble by ourselves and then get your mother and go to Planet Vegeta. By that time your planet should be rebuilt." Zion muttered startling Trunks.

Zion had somehow managed to sneak up on the teen, standing right behind him almost touching. Trunks could feel Zion's body heat and was once again reminded that they were different no matter how much they looked alike. Long fingers encircled his wrist and pulled him back. Hot breath tickled his neck as an arm wrapped around his chest, holding him close. That was it, a simple embrace. Just as suddenly as he was there, Zion was gone leaving Trunks more confused than ever. Zion's tail flicked at him in follow me gesture and Trunks remembered his mother and their earlier conversation.

Bulma was gulping down a large glass of water. She looked older than ever and Trunks wished that he could help her. He knew that she was lonely but he also knew that she would never look at another man, not after Vegeta.

"So start at the beginning again." Bulma said weakly after sitting down.

"I want to take Trunks into space to find Vegeta's younger brother Tarble. Afterwards we will be travelling to Planet Vegeta with you of course but only after we have obtained Tarble." Zion said simply.

"So Vegeta had a brother that he never said anything about but then again he was only on Earth for three years before he died. That's not a lot of time to get up close and personal." Bulma muttered to herself before taking another large gulp of water.

"Close enough to have a son." Zion muttered under his breath but Trunks heard him.

"Then there's Planet Vegeta. I thought Frieza had destroyed it." Bulma commented a little hysterically.

"Oh It's frozen and hidden up in space so that Frieza thought he had destroyed it." Zion replied casually making Bulma cough after her next gulp of water.

"So you two boys want to go on a Sayian expedition?" Bulma said thoughtfully.

"Jip." The two said together.  
>"Well, it is a part of you and your culture, not to mention the knowledge that can be gained. I suppose so. Besides it was really important to your father." Bulma said in a breathy forlorn tone that made Trunks' heart shatter a little more.<p>

"Awesome. The first part should take about a month maybe less." Zion replied already walking out the room.

As he brushed past Trunks he lingered a little too long and his tail brushed Trunks' hand. Trunks was tempted to grab the furry appendage but figured he valued his life a lot more than getting even with his brother.

He heard a lot of stuff being thrown around but decided that he'd ignore it for now. He sat down across from his mother an rubbed his eyes.

"Having him around is hard isn't it?" Bulma asked.

"Huh? I didn't say that." Trunks said looking up.

"You don't have to silly. I'm your mother. It's my job to know these things." She said with one of her rare smiles, "He makes you uncomfortable sometimes."

She was just observing and seeing reactions but she didn't know the whys or the hows and Trunks was happy to leave it that way.

"Come on mom, you saw what we brought him from. There's bound to be a storm before the peace, there always is." Trunks replied with an easy smile.

"Ohkay Trunks, but don't think that I don't know that you're hiding something." Bulma warned before getting up, kissing his cheek and walking out the room.

Three hours later and Zion had managed to drag up a spaceship and supplies. Trunks stood in front of it with a look of stunned disbelief on his features. He was really going into space with Zion. The thought was more than a little scary. Hell it was downright terrifying. From the outside the ship looked amazing but Trunks had a bad feeling about the inside. Zion had even skilfully spray painted the Capsule Corp logo on the side of the ship.

"Come on we're wasting time." Zion groaned before pushing Trunks from behind and up the ramp of the ship.

Trunks barely had time to yell out a good bye to his waving mother before the door closed and the ship started to take off seemingly on its own. Oh yeah. One month in space with nowhere to hide. This was going to be fun-tastic. :( He'd rather spend a year with Vegeta in the hyperbolic time chamber.


	9. Chapter 9

**This Chapter was Co-Written by Cara2012 and without that amazing person this chapter would not exist. Warning! Explicit content. Incest. Yaoi. Bad language amongst the usual grammer mistakes that I missed in my check. (Please note that while I'm not particularly supportive of incest, I know that it is out there and it does happen. And let's get realistic here people. Trunks and Zion never even knew their dad, they grew up in different worlds on opposite ends of the galaxy. I mean really, it could happen.) **

Chapter 9

Trunks walked through the ship. It was small, weirdly so. There was only one bedroom, with two beds and only one bathroom. What was up with that?

"I didn't exactly have a lot a time you know." Zion complained as though he had read Trunks' mind.

"You set your own time limit." Trunks replied incredulously.

Zion smirked over his shoulder, "I know."

Trunks saw that the most spacious rooms in the ship were what looked like a training room and the kitchen. The control room was pretty standard. The ship was also powered by an energy source the Trunks knew wasn't found on earth. By the looks of it, it looked efficient and it looked as though it would never need to be changed.

The hallways were cruelly narrow and Trunks gulped when he thought about having to pass Zion in the halls. Would he still be playing that stupid, stupid game? He hoped not. What were they going to do about space when they got Vegeta's brother? Zion probably had a plan, he always calculated everything. He had probably calculated the exact amount of sheets of toilet paper they'd need for the whole trip.

"I'm taking this bed." Zion announced flopping down onto the bed nearest the door and bathroom.

Trunks scowled when he noticed that it was also the bed he would basically have to climb over to get to his own. He considered just blasting a few walls away but they were already in space. If he miscalculated then they would have a problem. Besides the ass had probably made the walls Ki poof just in case.

The first few hours went by with little to nothing actually happening. Trunks was pretty sure that Zion had slept but pretty sure and sure were not the same thing. He himself had lain on his bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering what Planet Vegeta would be like when they got there. It really was too bad that they couldn't bring Vegeta along. He had always believed in the power of his race, even though they had been killed by Frieza, well sort of.

When his stomach announced its desires rather loudly Trunks decided to check out the kitchen. He opened the fridge with a yawn before closing the door in confusion. He studied the outside of the fridge carefully before opening it again. There was no way the inside of the fridge was the same size as the outside. The inside was definitely bigger, he was sure of it.

Trunks shrugged before pulling a few things out and making himself something to eat. He wasn't the greatest cook in the world but he could manage to keep himself alive. Somehow Zion just didn't seem like the chef type.

Zion came in just as Trunks was finishing. He looked at the empty dishes and smirked. Trunks dishes floated up and out of reach. They then just disappeared.

""Do you want to spar? You never know you might actually learn a few things." Zion asked.

"Sure. It's not like there's anything else to do." Trunks replied with a small smile.

"Oh there's plenty things to do." Zion assured him in a husky growl.

Trunks didn't reply, had nothing to reply with. Instead he stood and walked over to the door, which Zion was still leaning against. As he walked passed a tail brushed his arm. He chose to ignore that too.

Trunks stretched as he waited for Zion to follow him. Zion took his time, doing only he knew what. When he entered Trunks was already fighting with invisible foes. He moved across the room in his base form attacking and defending things only he could see. Zion leaned against the wall and watched silently, waiting for his brother to notice him. He watched as Trunks changed to super Sayian and disappeared from normal view, moving at speeds one had to use their other senses to see.

Zion eventually joined in of his own accord, suddenly appearing in the path of a punch aimed for thin air. From then on the two fought against each other with Zion having the clear advantage.

By the end of the day Zion had one of Trunks' arms wrapped around his neck as he supported the unconscious teen back to the bedrooms. He had pushed himself too far, greatly underestimating Zion's true power.

That was how most of their days went. Eat. Sleep. Train. Shower. Not necessarily in that order. Trunks could feel himself getting stronger but he couldn't test the true extent because of their location. The fridge he also noticed just never seemed to get any emptier but he sure wasn't complaining.

Zion was as good as having a rising and setting sun. He kept to a routine that Trunks could count by. He did for a few days but when Zion didn't vary for even a second Trunks got bored.

Zion did continue his game and Trunks was still losing but there was a major difference this time. On Earth, both of them could have just flown in opposite directions and blown off the steam Zion had generated. Now they couldn't even power up very much for fear of blowing up their ship.

Zion would hold him in a choke hold for example but one hand would wonder down his chest, slowly and sensually as lips were pressed to his neck, sucking, biting, kissing. Trunks had so far managed to break free before Zion had gone any further than his navel but he was sure that Zion let him go.

Zion also had a knack for walking in to the bathroom just as Trunks was stepping in or out of the shower. Every time, Zion would touch him in some way, caress him.

Trunks was finding the attention more and more uncomfortable but it wasn't for the reasons he should. He was more angry at himself and his body for almost waiting for the next round of the game to begin. He was also starting to get really frustrated with it. Zion should either just fuck him or leave him alone, either way just get it over and done with.

* * *

><p>Trunks walked into the kitchen, having just showered. Zion was sprawled in the kitchen chair looking strained. In his hand he held a cup of black coffee and his face told Trunks that the older demi Sayian was deep in thought. They had been on the ship for three weeks now and Zion had upped the level of the game, as impossible as it sounds.<p>

"What's up with you?" Trunks asked looking in the fridge.

"Fuck off." Zion snapped in reply, shifting in the seat to get more comfortable.

"Little hard to do since there's not that many places to go." Trunks replied with a sigh.

"Stop being such a fucking smart ass. No one likes a smart ass." Zion snarled in reply.

Today was not going to be a good day. Something was definitely wrong with the guy and Trunks wasn't sure he'd ever find out. He looked at the guy and smirked as Zion shifted again, briefly revealing a hard on straining in his pants. Seems that the almighty did actually experience sexual frustration just like the rest of them. Trunks didn't comment out of respect. There were plenty of things he could have said or done but he just simply did not wish to. The fact that Zion was suffering was enough for him and he did not feel the need to add to that.

Trunks went to the training room and started to stretch, eventually sparing by himself when it became apparent that Zion just wasn't coming. He kept his power low to make the exercises he pushed himself through far more stimulating than they had ever been before and by the end of the day, while he wasn't bruised and battered he was exhausted.

Trunks wrapped a towel around his neck after wiping his face and headed towards the bathroom for a shower. He was planning on crashing after that, too tired for food.

As he entered a hallway Zion appeared at the other end. He didn't wait for Trunks like he usually did and Trunks was indecisive as to whether or not to just back track. The corridors were narrow enough that if they passed each other they'd either have to meet halfway and move in a half circle at the same time or simply squeeze around each other.

Before Trunks could make his decision Zion was there in front of him. He studied Trunks, took in his flushed and tired form with that penetrating gaze of his and this time Trunks saw something in Zion's eyes that made an answering shiver ghost down his spine. Huh? What was that all about? He wasn't lusting after his brother now was he?

No words were exchanged as they continued to stare at each other. Trunks gulped when Zion licked his lips as though he thought they were dry. He literally felt all the blood in his body focus in one area and mentally started to panic. What the hell?

Zion smirk was slow, cruel and unbelievable sensual. Trunks felt Zion's tail wrap around his waist and tighten to a level that Trunks didn't even imagine the furry appendage ever being capable of. Zion lifted his hand and placed it on the side of Trunks' neck before he crushed his lips to Trunks'. Trunks struggled, trying to pull back, knowing full well that he had had every opportunity to escape this one. He hadn't taken it though, so what did that say?

Zion pulled back with a snarl when Trunks bit down on his tongue and hard. His eyes were flashing with heated anger. Trunks didn't even have time for his life to flash before his eyes before he was spun around and his back was pressed against Zion's chest.

"Don't tell me you don't want this." Zion hissed furiously in his ear before plunging his hand into Trunks' pants and finding his erection, squeezing it so that Trunks' vision clouded over.

A strangled gasp sort of moan escaped Trunks and he wished it hadn't. He didn't want this. Didn't he? Then why was his body saying otherwise?

Zion's other hand forced Trunks' head up and Zion resumed kissing him. This time Trunks let him. Zion's kiss was powerful, exotic and dominating, exactly like Trunks had come to expect Zion to be. Zion let go of Trunks' erection and the only reason why the teen didn't whimper was because Zion was still kissing him.

Zion led them both backwards, towards the bedroom, without breaking the kiss. Zion pulled Trunks into his chest with his tail roughly. His hand snaked inside the front of Trunks' pants and caressed his hardening erection, making Trunks go cross eyed.

Trunks' eyes clouded with lust as he slightly gasped when Zion's thumb ghosted over the head of his erection. Zion's other hand grab Trunks by the back of his hair and pulled his head back hard. Trunks barely registered it as he was more focused on the hand in his pants that was rubbing harder by the second, building a firestorm of pleasure and frustration.

Zion kissed and nipped up Trunks' collar bone hard enough that there was sure to be bruises there later but Trunks loved it. Zion got to his lips and forced his tongue inside Trunks' mouth. This kiss was much more desperate then the ones Zion had given Trunks before and Trunks' figured it was from his growing need for relief. Trunks could feel Zion's hard dick against him and it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. At this point neither of them cared about anything but satisfying themselves after all the tension that had been building. Like he'd said either just fuck him or leave him alone, either way just get it over and done with. This wasn't exactly an unpleasant solution. In fact he was struggling to remember exactly why it had been such a bad idea in the first place.  
>Clothes were being ripped off each other in frenzied lust. The blue capsule corp. jacket was ripped off and thrown to the floor. The black tank top didn't stand a chance. Zion's own sapphire blue and black Gi was soon shredded and floating to the floor. Trunks could hear his heart pounding in his chest as his lungs raced for air. Were they really going to do this? Zion threw Trunks on his bed and got on top of him. Yes they really were.<br>Zion shifted Trunks so easily it momentarily cleared the cloud of lust in Trunks' mind. He was pulled to his knees with his back to Zion's chest. Hands ghosted down his arms as teeth lightly nipped the skin on his neck, just hard enough to cause a sting. Zion's hands suddenly gripped Trunks' fists and yanked them up, placing them against the wall. He made Trunks open his hands so that they were palm flat against the wall and then he placed his hands over Trunks', almost twining their fingers.

Zion didn't waste time to prepare Trunks and just plunged all the way into him with a force that would make planets shake. No warning, nothing.

"Fuck!" Trunks yelled out and dug his hands into the metal of the wall. Zion was surprised that Trunks had such strength.

"I'm on it, I'm on it." Zion growled impatiently nipping Trunks' neck a little harder than before.

Zion didn't wait for Trunks to adjust to his size. He pumped in and out fast and hard which left Trunks biting his lip in an effort to keep him from screaming. What surprised him most was the fact that it was not whimpers of pain or moans of pleasure that escaped him but rather growls of approval and submission. But soon the pain gave into pleasure as Trunks finally adjusted and Zion hit his prostate just right. Trunks moaned softly let his head fall back onto Zion's shoulder and he started bucking his hips up to match Zion's thrusts. Zion grunted as he felt Trunks get tighter around him indicating that he would cum soon. Zion felt his own release fast approaching so he quickened the pace. Trunks saw stars as he came in between them and after a few more thrusts Zion felt his balls draw up and he followed Trunks in climax. As they came down from they're high, slightly boneless they looked at each other while panting hard. Hearts raced, trying to slow down to their normal pace. Trunks briefly wondered why he had never felt this tired after a battle.

Trunks noted that Zion's fingers were twined with his, gripping them hard. Zion was also almost leaning on his for support. Zion's tail swirled in lazy yet soothing circles over the muscles on Trunks' chest and stomach. Zion was being cuddly? Something hot and wet touched the slightly throbbing bite mark on his shoulder, making his dick twitch.

Zion smirked and whispered to Trunks, "Are you ready for another round?" Trunks looked at him like he was crazy. "Already?"

"Oh dear little brother I won't be done with you for a while." And the rest of the night was spent in different places on the ship, in different positions but always the same result.

* * *

><p>The next morning Trunks walked slowly out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. Zion smirked at him.<br>"So how did you sleep?" Zion didn't even try to hide his amusement.  
>"Shut up, my ass hurts and I'm tired and hungry so don't start with me."<br>"Oh? And what are you going to do if I don't?"  
>"Fuck you Zion leave me alone."<br>"Heh, no Trunks, I fucked you, multiple times." Zion's smirk grew wider at Trunks blush, "But if you insist I'm sure we could try it your way when you're feeling more up to it. All you need do is ask."

"Never again." Trunks growled.

"Oh come on you have to admit that you feel better. I know I do. Besides there was nothing to it. It was just sex. I'm not about to fall on my knees and confess my undying love or whatever." Zion replied with a snort.

Trunks didn't reply because Zion was right. He wouldn't admit it in a million years though.

"Oh by the way, we will arrive at our destination in three days." Zion informed him cheerfully.

Three days? That's all that was left of the near suffocating closeness and sexual torture. Trunks let his head thunk painfully onto the table. Strangely however he didn't regret what they did and somehow knew that he never would.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

Trunks was weary at first. Would things be different now? How had he allowed that to happen at all? It wasn't that he regretted it. No, it was more like he was confused as to WHAT THE HELL HE HAD BEEN THINKING. In three days they would be landing on the planet that his father's brother lived on. If only he had know that before. Oh well, like his mother used to say, there was no use crying over split milk.

Trunks finished his breakfast and walked awkwardly out of the kitchen, Zion's soft chuckle following him as he went. Every step just served to remind him of what he had done, what _they_ had done, and he was hard pressed to push it from his mind.

Well at least Zion was in a better mood. Always see the positive. If you didn't at least try, you'd go nuts. That was what had gotten him through the Android years. What the hell was going to get him through the Zion years and there were a life time left of those. If Zion chose to stay with him that was.

There was a large window with the thicker glass than that of Trunks' fist along one of the corridors. There was nothing out that window other than the vast recesses of space. It was mindboggling to think that there was actually life out there, plenty of it. Somewhere out there was a healing little blue planet that he called home. The Androids seemed so far away in comparison to what he had been through in the last year or so. Trunks sighed as he reflected on everything that had happened. Between time travelling and space travelling his life had changed in many ways. He had never really taken a step back to look at it all. Some of it had been amazing. While other parts he's rather have not gone through but given the choice he wouldn't change a thing. It was strange how life played out, the cards you were given weren't always what you wanted but it was what you got so you had to learn to sort through it and make the best of what you had. . .

Trunks shook his head to force the whole dealing with everything session aside. He was still trying to decide whether or not he should attempt to train when he heard Zion's casual, barely there footsteps coming towards him. Zion was suddenly behind him, appearing so fast Trunks couldn't even track his energy.

"You know I had never meant for the game to end the way it did." Zion breathed in his ear, "But I'm not sorry, nor does my opinion of you change."

They were both still facing the window and Trunks could very faintly see their reflection. Somehow in this reality Zion was taller than his past self. He stood almost a head taller than Trunks and was now leaning towards Trunks, almost in a protective way. His posture could almost be described as curling over Trunks, like trying to cover him, but it was almost.

"What is your opinion of me?" Trunks replied, curiosity getting the better of him.

"The silence is awkward." Zion stated instead, quietly yet it commanded attention, simple and effective, "I welcome it." he sighed leaning closer, his tone softer.  
>"The silence is oppressive." he continued leaning back and saying it louder, more like the first line, "I welcome it." This statement was said like a caress, an endearment to a lover.<br>"Like a wood to a fire, air to starving lungs, it feeds my body, my mind, my soul." This was said more elaborately yet it had an air of danger to it, even though no words were threatening. In fact Trunks thought them kind of melancholy.  
>"The silence is a void." So soft it could barely be heard. "I welcome it." Nearly shouted making the younger Sayian jump.<br>"My young brother, my young _lover_,  
>The silence is oppressive.<br>I welcome it." Zion finished sighing the word lover. He said the last line as though he were merely commenting on the weather.

"Poetry or riddles?" Trunks found himself asking.

"Either way you look at it, I still didn't answer your question did I?" Zion replied thoughtfully.

"I don't expect you will." Trunks said so softly he wasn't even sure Zion had heard him.

"If you must know the poem was how do you earthlings put it, an extended metaphor for my life." Zion said leaning away from Trunks entirely.

"So am I supposed to figure out the meaning of this poem or am I just supposed to strike it off as more Zion weirdness?" Trunks asked turning away from the window to look at the older Sayian.

"Do what you want, I personally don't give a damn." Zion said over his shoulder, having already started walking away even before Trunks had turned around.

* * *

><p>Trunks woke up with a groan. The cause for his unwanted return to consciousness was the very uninvited sensation of a shaking ship. He looked across and saw that Zion wasn't in his bed. Trunks mumbled grumpily before simply rolling over and going back to sleep.<p>

It didn't last long however as something cold and wet was thrown onto his head followed by an evil crackle.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty, we have arrived." Zion announced in a sinfully cheerful voice.

Trunks aimlessly threw a pillow in the general direction Zion might have been in. The pillow flew back at him.

"Alright, alright. I'm getting up already." Trunks yelled in a grouchy tone.

Zion's chuckle could be heard from the other end of the hallway outside their bedroom. Trunks reluctantly got out of bed and headed to the shower. He kept it short, very short, in fear of Zion playing more tricks on him.

He went to the kitchen and grabbed a few things from the fridge before searching for Zion's energy. Zion was waiting by the door. He saw Trunks and smirked before opening the door and confidently walking out.

Trunks nearly dropped his food when he saw what they had landed on. The place was nearly a ruin. Everything looked completely destroyed. It had obviously once been a thriving and beautiful planet, that much Trunks could tell.

"Compliments of Frieza's hench men." Zion muttered looking around cautiously.

Trunks said nothing, but his anger rose considerably. It was like his planet all over again, not to mention the Cell games.

"How can there still be remnants of Frieza's army?" Trunks wondered out loud.

"You fail to realise the extent of his power. The Cold family didn't concur planets on hopes and dreams you know." Zion snorted in response starting to walk forward.

As he took steps little clouds of ash puffed into the air. Trunks also became aware of the odd silence that had settled over the planet. There was nothing. He tried to pay more attention to his hearing. At first there was nothing but then the faint sounds of manual labour reached his ears. Banging, grinding, drilling . . . even screams of pain.

Trunks hurried to catch up to Zion who was several meters ahead already. Trunks didn't dare look at anything other than the back of Zion's head. He was too afraid at what he might see. He really had enough of his own nightmare's to contend with, thank-you very much. He tried to block out the sounds that once he had heard, could not be ignored. They sounded too much like the past he had lost so much to. He had gained much more but still.

Trunks stopped when Zion did. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to see it all eventually. He opened his eyes and stepped to the side and forward so that he stood next to his brother. Beings of many different races were scattered everywhere as far as Trunks could see. He looked back and saw that they had landed further down a hill, explaining why this had not been his first sight. The beings appeared to be in a large pit, very large. They also seemed to be mining for something but Trunks could not be entirely sure. One thing about them all was very clear. There were leaders and there were followers and the leader were none too kind. Screams of pain followed the crack of ever whip or blast of Ki. Trunks' teeth snapped together audibly when he saw that most wore the Sayian armour, however all were in various conditions, ranging from pathetic to overly extravagant.

Zion stepped off the edge of the pit and slide down the slope, grinning manically all the way down, and it was a steep slope. Trunks coughed as clouds of ash were blown into his face. He reluctantly followed his brother down into the hell hole. Alarms started to go off immediately making Trunks even more on edge than what he already was. He tensed up expecting an attack at any moment from anywhere. Just what was Zion planning on doing?

"You there! Stop where you are or face the consequences!" A commanding and arrogant voice yelled.

Zion's head tilted in his direction and he smirked in amusement.

"Oh? Really? What are you going to do if I don't?" Zion asked innocently but Trunks saw the glint of delightful danger in his eyes.

Zion took a step for dramatic effect. Trunks looked up and saw several guards aiming Ki blasts at them, ready to fire at a moment's notice. There were no power levels high enough to cause worry, but there were maybe three that would require a transformation. Maybe not even that much since Zion was so insanely powerful.

Zion laughed humourlessly and coldly, nothing like the light breathy chuckles he had shared with Trunks in the time that they had spent together. Trunks was still pretty sure that he wasn't supposed to hear to chuckles either but he did. Zion took another step and a warning blast of Ki hit the ground just in front of him, only serving to make Zion laugh more manically and insanely. Trunks was hit with a wave of anxiety that he couldn't explain. Just what had been unleashed in his brother?

There was no time to assess anything as suddenly Zion was attacking, using far too much force than what was really necessary. Trunks yelped as a hot sticky spray of blood coated him, starting at his waist and moving right up to his face. Trunks was scared stupid by the sight of his brother literally ripping the very limbs from the soldiers all the while laughing like he was having the time of his life. The screams of their pain pierced into Trunks like physical blows but he was too stunned to even cover his ears.

"I'd like to have had more fun with them but there was no time for that. Too bad." Zion grumbled.

Trunks found that he could do no more than gap stupidly at his brother in horror, a look that Zion didn't seem to even notice as he hummed cheerfully to himself. Without the screams it was suddenly eerily quiet. Trunks was breathing hard and fast trying to stop his raced and panicked thoughts. How had he been so stupid? Zion had managed to look so normal, tame even. When had he missed the homicidal tendencies? No wonder he had been chained up like he had.

Wait! That had to be the whole reason he was insane! Of course. It all made perfect sense now. He had been driven insane by Frieza's soldiers. Who wouldn't what with the whole being a practically unstoppable being that could do nothing about the torments threatening to crush and overwhelm you? Still that didn't help Trunks out in his current predicament.

Zion was now walking towards the heart of the pit, to what looked like a head quarters of some sort. Trunks hurried to catch up to his brother while trying in vain to wipe the blood from his face, succeeding only in smearing it around. He winced as the smell of it hit him and chose instead to breathe through his mouth.

"Honey I'm home!" Zion yelled upon entering the building before doubling over with intensely insane laughter, "Did you miss me?" he snarled at a shadowy corner.

Trunks thought his brother had lost it but then the inky darkness shifted to reveal what closely resembled to large pink and blue beach balls.

"Hay Trunks meet Abo and Cado. Brothers of course, I mean you don't get that kind of ugliness twice by chance. They and I get very well acquainted while I was growing up. Then they left a few years ago, saying something about unfinished business." Zion paused to laugh and Trunks wanted to run away with a metaphorical tail between his legs, "Did you really think I wouldn't come after you? I had to get free sometime and thanks to my brother over there I am and now it's time to make good on some old promises and believe me, I remember, every, single, one, of, them." Zion said, changing from manically cheerful to dangerously stoic.

Trunks started to back up in fear as he watch Zion slowly approach the two beach balls, each step measured, every expression either blank or cold determination.

"Find Tarble." Zion barked and Trunks didn't hesitate to obey, especially when he felt that power of Zion's rising to more than enough. He wasn't taking chances.

Trunks scrambled out of the building and started to ran away from it just as the shockwave of Zion's first attack swept his feet out from under him. He grunted and managed to catch himself before becoming acquainted with the floor. Trunks looked around and saw that he was being stared at by many, many pairs of eyes. To say it unnerved him would be the understatement of the year.

Trunks walked over to one of the odd looking beings, hoping against hope that it spoke English. The creature hastened to look down and started shaking. A small whimper escaped the creature when Trunks stopped.

"Hi. I don't know if you can understand me but I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just looking for someone." Trunks said as friendly as he could.

When no answer came but the whimpering stopped, Trunks continued.

"I'm not really sure what he looks like other than he has black hair and eyes and he looks like me but probably with a tail. Do you know anyone like that?"

Whispers broke out among them as they all exchanged fearful looks.

"Are you here to hurt him?" one tiny voice squeaked.

"No, I'm here to take him home." Trunks replied a little surprised by the question, "See he's my Uncle but I didn't know about him or where he was until recently."

"Then if you speak true we will lead you to him." The same squeaky voice said.

Trunks followed as he was led to what looked to be sleeping quarters. He was led through the appalling quarters and around to the back. He tried to ignore Zion's Ki signature and the sounds he could hear all too well. What he saw as he exited the quarters was enough to stop even his breathing. Hanging on a wooden X was the pitiful figure of a Sayian male. His hair, which was matted and dirty with both dirt and blood, was all Trunks could see of his head as it hung low, pointed towards the ground. Trunks wanted to vomit when he saw the thick pins that ran through the Sayians hands, forcing blood to run in rivers down his dirty and bruise riddled arms and body. All that covered him was a pathetic cloth over his privates. His tail, clearly broken hung limply behind him. Trunks wondered if he was even still alive.

He rushed over to the Sayian and lifted his head. Tarble looked so much like his father, apart from the hair and somehow that made it hurt more. Trunks winced as he pulled the pins out of Tarble's hands, catching him before he hit the ground. Relief flooded him when his eyelids fluttered and there was a groan of pain. Suddenly Tarble lashed out, screaming like a wild feral thing, attacking blindly and so weakly Trunks wanted to cry. Trunks did the only thing he could think of and embraced his struggling uncle, pulling him closer to his chest and starting to whisper to him.

"It's ohkay, Prince Tarble. I've got you. I won't let them hurt you anymore. I promise on my father's name I won't let them hurt you anymore. . . ."

He didn't know if the crazed Sayian could hear him or even understand him but the struggling became slower as his energy wore out. Trunks' grip loosened and he placed Tarble down gently. He then dug around in his pocket for the spare senzu beans he always kept with him. He gently wiggled one into Tarble's mouth and coaxed him into eating it.

"When he would not submit and tried to fight for our freedom they killed his mate and made an example out of him." The squeaky voice from earlier said sadly.

The tiny Sayian in front of Trunks was shivering now but at least his Ki was returning to him. Trunks took off his jacket and used it to cover the Sayian.

"Stay with him. I'll be right back." Trunks said to the tiny odd creature before phasing to the ship, going faster than he had thought himself capable of.

He hurried inside and grabbed his box of capsules. He then phased back to his uncle. He opened the box and picked out on capsule in particular. He popped it open and pulled out a new, clean set of Sayian armour. His past mother had given them to him and he had a few sets in various shapes and styles. Best part about them, one size fit all.

Tarble was waking up now, he looked around in confusion and fear but there was an ever present guilt. Trunks offered the clothes out the Sayian.

"That's Sayian armour but it's different, newer." Tarble muttered.

"That's because it's modelled after the Sayian armour but it was made by my mother who's an Earthling. My father is a Sayian." Trunks replied happy when Tarble took the clothing.

Trunks popped another capsule and a small house appeared but what he was really after was the bathroom. He dragged a surprised Tarble with his as he entered and went straight to the bathroom. He switched on and set the shower before he shoved Tarble inside, taking the set of armour away and placing it on top of the wash basket. From Tarble's sigh of content Trunks guessed he didn't mind the bossiness.

"You don't look like a Sayian." Tarble's voice floated to him over the spray of the water.

"My father used to say that too, said I looked and talked too much like my mother." Trunks replied with a laugh as he tried to wash the blood from his face.

"So who is your father?" Tarble asked curiously but Trunks could hear a definite deadness in his voice.

He didn't reply right away.

"Vegeta. Prince Vegeta. He's been dead for a long time now." Trunks said softly.

"I'd never thought he'd be dead before me." Tarble muttered, "Then again I never thought he'd have kids after Frieza destroyed the planet."

"Yeah well I wasn't exactly planned and as far as my father was concerned I wasn't welcome either but I was a male and a Sayian so he wasn't really complaining either. I think in an alternate universe he actually loves me but in this one he died before he got the chance." Trunks replied with a sad sigh.

Tarble stepped out of the shower just as Trunks was leaving the room. He waited while the other Sayian dressed. When he reappeared he looked so different from before it was hard to believe he was the same person.  
>"I haven't felt so good in a very long time." He said with a said sort of longing.<p>

"I'm sorry." Trunks whispered and meant it.  
>"What for? You didn't do this to me." Tarble asked in surprise.<p>

"If I had known I could have done something." Trunks replied balling his fists.

Tarble did not say anything to that and Trunks thought it best to see what Zion was up to. He gestured for Tarble to follow and left the small capsule house. He placed it back in its capsule form and then placed it back with the other capsules.

"Stay here." Trunks said to Tarble as he headed towards the building he had left Zion in.

He was just a few meters away when the side of the building exploded in a cloud of dust and rubble. Zion was kneeling in the centre of the rubble, each hand holding onto the head of Abo and Cado. Trunks swallowed when he saw the blood covering Zion and the insane look of bloodlust pleasure on his features. Abo and Cado didn't even appear to be alive anymore but that apparently meant little to nothing to Zion.

"Zion? I think that's enough don't you?" Trunks said cautiously.

Zion didn't even indicate that he had heard Trunks. He laughed that cold insane laugh again and began to once again pummel rip and tear at Abo and Cado. Trunks winced and squirmed with ever pop, squelch and rip trying to block it out.

Zion suddenly grew bored with his gruesome task and looked around him, staring through crazed eyes at the creatures surrounding him. There were enemies and innocents alike but would Zion be able to tell the difference?

Zion sprang to his feet and blood dripped from him with a steady, horrifying rhythm. Trunks watched and waited as Zion raised an arm and pointed it towards a group of beings. He smirked and a glow started to form in his palm.

Trunks' heart stuttered and he immediately ran forwards, grasping onto Zion's outstretched arm and trying to yank it down.

"Zion, please! You've got to stop! Snap out of it!" Trunks yelled in desperation.

Trunks didn't have any effect on his brother at all. He didn't even look like he noticed his presence. Trunks had to act fast because the Ki in Zion's palm was getting brighter with every passing second.

In desperation Trunks hovered in the air, clasped his hands on either side of Zion's blood smeared face and pressed his lips to his brothers.

There was a grunt of surprise and then a growl of approval before Zion's arms crushed Trunks to him, cracking and maybe snapping a few ribs. Trunks didn't stop though. Not even when Zion slammed him against the outer wall of the building. Zion had never acted so animalistic . . . so primal . . . so desperate . . . so needy. When Zion broke the kiss to lick up Trunks' neck making the poor boy shiver, Trunks wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "Enough Zion. They're gone. They won't ever hurt you again."

Zion seemed to freeze. A violet shudder racked up his spine before his silver ringed black eyes lifted to Trunks. He blinked and a heart wrenching sob ripped from his throat, seemingly from his very soul. As Zion cried for the first time in his life, starting the process of healing Trunks cried with him, supporting him as the older Sayian fell to his knees, clinging to Trunks like a helpless child.


	11. Chapter 11

**This chapter shows just a piece of Zion's past but it's an important piece in the aspect that it explains a lot. Sorry for the late update.**

Chapter 11.

Zion seemed to have fallen asleep and Trunks took that as an opportunity to move him back to the ship. Tarble had silently and wisely chosen to follow.

Surprisingly enough the ship was different when Trunks entered it. It was bigger and had three rooms with their own bathrooms. Trunks worried a bit about the blood that Zion and now himself were still covered in but he didn't really have any other options as he gently lay Zion on one of the beds.

"Will the others be ohkay?" Trunks asked quietly, turning to Tarble.

"Yes I believe they will be. Your friend here seemed to have taken care of all the real trouble makers." Tarble replied with a strained smile.

"Alright then. Why don't you get some sleep?" Trunks offered walking to the control room to start the launch sequence.

"Yeah. Perhaps I should at least try." Tarble said wearily, heading to one of the other bedrooms.

Trunks set a course back to Earth before going to Zion's room and getting a wet cloth from the bathroom to at least take care of some of the blood.

* * *

><p>"<em>Guess what mutt, we brought you a little friend. He's quite savage, means he'll be perfect for you." A cruel voice mocked through the bars before the door was opened and a pitiful figure was thrown into the darkness. <em>

_He got off the floor and ran snarling at the door that slammed in his face just as he got to it. The new prisoner didn't take being locked up very well. _

_He watched from the shadows as this boy snarled and yelled at the walls because really no one was listening. His tail waved in lazy aimless patterns next to him as he studied this boy's movements and speech patterns. He too had a collar around his next and he really didn't seem happy about it._

_He was an odd creature that had never been captured before, making his species a mystery as well. He had neon green spikes of hair with pale skin and rosy lips and cheeks. His eyes were a storm of hard green orbs that flashed with a fire destined for retribution. He appeared to be the same age, mid to late teens._

"_You're just wasting your energy. No one's listening. Hell no one's even watching." _

_The boy froze and studied the shadows suspiciously. _

"_Who's there?" he demanded._

"_Nobody." Zion whispered back._

_The boy snarled in impatience and lifted a hand. Curiously the skin began to glow with a pulsing green light, chasing away a portion of the shadows. Zion hissed when the light hit him and shifted further into the shadows. It hurt to be in the light. _

"_Why do I feel as if I should know you?" the boy asked and Zion finally figured out what and who he was._

_He was a Taegeite and he was supposed to represent the other design. Well that was a role Zion wasn't willing to play out. _

"_That would probably be because we're natural born enemies . . . Josh." Zion replied casually._

"_Oh. You're the boy from my dreams." Josh replied stiffly._

"_It appears that matters not any more since we're both in quite the fix. I know they've had me since birth but how did they get you?" Zion asked moving closer to the light but not quite in it._

_Josh just growled in response. Clearly he did not want to talk about it._

"_That's ohkay. I expect we'll be here a while. They won't come back for days so I hope you're not hungry." Zion said in a tone that said he really wasn't interested either way._

_Having been reminded of that fact himself Zion sat with his legs crossed and his back ramrod straight. He then took a deep breath and proceeded to shut down his mind, his body, so as to preserve what sustenance his body still had. His survival counted more than the fact that there was another person in the room. That fact meant that he could be attacked at any moment, but he needed his energy more. Besides he wasn't completely unaware. He knew that the boy was pacing endlessly pace and forth, back and forth . . . Deep sighs echoed around the room and it quite frankly drove the Sayian mad._

"_Look kid, you run out of energy, you die. There's only so much sleep can do for you. You may be a Taegeite but I'm not so cut it out already." Zion finally snapped._

_Josh stilled for a moment but Zion instinctively knew it wouldn't be for long._

"_What exactly are you doing?" Josh asked._

"_Shutting down all but the most necessary functions in my body so that my energy lasts longer. I wasn't kidding around when I said they wouldn't be back for days. That means no food or water either." Zion impatiently explained._

"_If it's energy you're worried about I can fix that. I just can't sit here in silence. It'll drive me mad, literally." Josh said quickly._

_Zion glanced at him and saw that he was serious._

"_No thanks. Taegeite energy transfer has its advantages but it also has disadvantages. There are also disadvantages for me. For example see this collar around my neck. If my Ki rises above a certain point I get zapped. Do you have the control to make sure that doesn't happen?" I replied coolly but not ungratefully._

"_No, the question becomes do you have the control to suppress your Ki?" Josh replied like he thought Zion was stupid._

_Zion smirked despite himself._

"_Do you have any idea how much Ki I'm suppressing at the current moment?" he asked._

"_If you're suppressing so much Ki then why are you worried about energy?" Josh asked in confusion._

"_Energy needed to stay alive for me has nothing to do with Ki. I'm a Sayian recock." Zion replied._

"_I see. You need energy provided by sustenance." Josh replied slowly._

"_Yes and I don't get nearly enough." Zion said softly._

"_Make it." Josh stated simply._

_Zion just raised an eyebrow._

"_All things are made from energy. Back on my home world before it was destroyed I was given the training of manipulating energy to make it what I wanted it to be." Josh explained._

"_You can go ahead and try but I'm pretty sure that collar won't let you do much more than survive." Zion said immediately disinterested._

_Predictably the toss tried it and predictably he failed. Zion sighed and got up from his spot to move over to the now paralysed and in pain Josh. _

"_It lasts a couple of hours. You get used to it after a while." Zion offered moving him into a more comfortable position. _

_Zion then entered his thoughts, going no deeper than the surface. He created a distraction in the form of mental sparring. Josh was a terrible fighter and Zion slowly ironed out his technique, smoothed it and honed it. _

_For three days they were ignored and for three days Josh was under attack from the poison in his collar. Zion chalked it up to him being a different species. A single plate of food was slid under the door and Zion forced Josh to eat it. He had sensed the fact that the boy's Ki was low, even for a Taegeite. He had lived in that hell all his life so he could afford the sacrifice this time. _

"_I thought you said a couple of hours." Josh managed to gasp out on one occasion._

"_I guess it's different for you. I mean I was basing it on what it was like for me." Zion replied._

"_What are the limitations of these things?" he asked gesturing to the collar._

"_Well basically it monitors your Ki. It makes recordings and stores them in the mainframe somewhere. If your Ki goes above a set level it activates. It's also programmed to activate if you do certain things specific to your race." Zion replied softly and slowly._

_He was running low so he tried to keep the talking and moving to a minimum._

"_When was the last time you ate?" Josh asked managing to sit up._

_Zion knew it had been three days since Josh's arrival but he'd lost count of the amount of days before then, five maybe six?_

_Josh clenched his jaw when Zion said nothing and he turned his head away angrily._

_While Josh got better, recovering from the poisons effects more and more every day, Zion got worse, losing more and more energy. To prevent a further downwards spiral he fell asleep. _

_He was yanked awake and was for a moment disoriented. He wanted to strike out but a feeling in the back of his mind made him wait._

_He felt something warm and hard but not hard like the rocky floor, hard like a body, underneath him. He groaned slightly when a hand roamed over his body._

"_I can't just sit here and watch you waste away to nothing. It's too fucken pathetic." Josh whispered in his ear._

_Zion's mind stayed on Josh's hand, followed it as it caressed his body. He waited for the moment he knew the pain would come. At first it was a glow that spread slowly throughout the room. Still that hand didn't go anywhere near bare skin. Zion swallowed and squirmed, not at all pleased with what Josh was about to do. _

_Josh's hand plunged down his armour and rested on the skin on his chest. The pain was immediate but so was the relief as Josh poured pure undiluted energy into his body. Advantages: A rush like you'd never felt before and life saving. Disadvantages: Possible addiction, completely unsafe, and sexual urges like you'd never felt before for both the receiver and the giver. _

_The second Josh let go of him and stopped the flow of energy, Zion sprang away from him and to the opposite corner of the cell. He was breathing hard, just like Josh was and his entire body felt more alive than it had felt in years. _

_Josh was unnaturally still but Zion saw the storm that raged inside his mind just by looking at his eyes. They flickered from dark green, almost black to a bright luminescent green. Back and forth much like his pacing on his first day. Zion rocked himself back and forth in time to Josh's changing eyes colour and the price of the energy exchange took its toll on his body and made its demands known. _

"_How good is your self control?" Zion asked through clenched teeth._

"_Terrible." Josh all but purred._

"_You had to know that this was going to happen. We're still supposed to be enemies." Zion spat back more angry at his body than Josh._

"_Like I said you looked pathetic. Also even if we do give in it's not going to exactly be a chore." Josh replied._

"_Have you ever had sex before?" Zion demanded crudely knowing that the crudeness of his question would hurt the Taegeite._

"_Yes and no." Josh replied evasively, not looking at Zion._

"_It's either yes or its no." Zion snapped._

"_Yes for a female. No for a male." Josh snapped back._

"_And you're willing to change that right now, right here . . . to me." Zion said slowly to emphasise his meaning._

_Josh was silent for a long time and Zion felt a tiny twinge of hurt at his silence but he pushed it away in favour of his own silent 'I thought so . . .'_

_Zion closed his eyes and tried to tell himself how much of a bad idea it would be to jump the kid and fuck him into the next week. It would be a very bad idea, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very bad idea._

_Warm breath tickled his hair and Josh's scent was suddenly all Zion could pick up on. He lost track of his very, very speech. Hell he lost track of his reasons why in the first place when Josh pressed his lips to Zion's, fisting his hands in Zion's hair. _

"_Yes, I would." he growled before continuing the kiss._

_Zion managed to push him away for a few precious gasps of air, all tainted with Josh's scent, "You say that now kid."_

"_I took a while to think about it." Josh said impatiently before crushing his lips back to Zion's._

_Zion managed to keep his wits about him and while Josh was distracted he raised his hand, glowing with Ki, and pressed it to the back of Josh's neck._

_The kid immediately slumped forward, out cold. In his mind, while there was still a faint trace of awareness Zion whispered, "You say that now . . ." _

* * *

><p>Zion's eyes snapped open. His body was on fire in the figurative meaning and he really wanted to kill the person who'd thrown the blanket on top of him. He slammed the bathroom door shut and went immediately to the shower. He didn't even bother removing his clothes and just stepped into the ice cold water.<p>

It felt like his skin was being stripped from his body as the icy spray hit his blistering skin. Why now? Why the hell did his past have to haunt him now? He'd avenged his existence and mistreatment. He'd gotten his retribution for what they'd done to not only him but to Josh as well, the Taegeite that was his enemy and his best friend.

When they had killed him they had unknowingly ended the war that Fate had dictated. It was also probably around the same time Trunks' mother was able to complete the time machine. Might have been around the time young Trunks achieved the super Sayian state. He'd never be sure.

As time trickled by he removed more and more of his gi and changed the temperature of the water to warmer.

He didn't bother with a towel as he stepped out and simply continued walking, using his Ki to dry himself. Clothes materialised like smoke onto his body and curiously enough the gi he was wearing was what Josh used to wear. The boy had always worn black and bright green, with the Taegeite symbol of royalty on the back. He said it made his eyes look prettier. Zion snorted at the memory, still seeing him lean in close and flutter his eyelids in mock flirtation.

Trunks was in the control room, fast asleep. He was still covered in the blood that Zion had put on him and Zion decided it best he not wake up covered in it. With a single thought Trunks was clean and blood free.

He glanced over the flight plan and co-ordinates. He veered the ship slightly off course, well rather added a destination to their overall journey. It was a planet well known for their shadier business deals but mostly, what Zion wanted was the destinations where most of these shady deals were made. Bars.

Bars meant booze. Cold hard liquor and he really wanted some right now. It would take them an hour to get there, so for an hour he'd have to suffer.

His mind was focused on the small things in the ship so that he wouldn't be forced to relive something he really did not wish to. Trunks' even breaths and the steady rise and fall of a low Ki in time with those breaths, the blinking light on the control panel, the steady hum of motion, the pounding of his own blood through his veins as his heart raced. . .

Without his permission he got sucked right back into his memories.

* * *

><p>"<em>Did you really think that would've worked?" Josh demanded angrily as he got to his feet, stretching and popping joints.<em>

_His voice only made the hellfire in Zion's body rise, trying to melt his resolve. He would not give in though. He couldn't._

"_When does it wear off?" Zion just spat out in reply._

"_Well either when you 'have sex' as you put it or when the energy runs out, which I don't think it will be any time soon." Josh replied._

_Zion said nothing. He could wait. He could. As long as that imbecile stayed where he was. Even if his body was thrumming with the energy now pulsing through him, calling to the original owner._

"_Would it really be such a terrible thing to just sleep with me?" Josh asked in a toneless voice and Zion knew it was his way of not getting hurt._

_Why the hell Zion's opinion mattered so much was beyond him. No. It wouldn't really matter if he coupled with the Taegeite. It was the afterwards he was concerned about. What would his reaction be? Would Zion come out of it being the same person? Most would argue that one sexual experience did not alter a person, much, but they were wrong in this sense. Josh's fate and his were so closely wound together that it was almost one path and there was no telling what would happen if they should decide to mess with the current situation, disrupting the set course of events. A small voice however gleefully reminded Zion that he didn't care much for fate and destiny, nor it's set design. That small voice also cheerfully told him that he was worried about himself, how it would affect him emotionally. _

"_You're only so eager because you feel the sexual demands as well. Trust me afterwards you'll try to kill me." Zion replied._

"_I told you, I'd taken a long time to think about it. I'm not a slave to my body you know. __**You**__ probably are right about now." Josh said in exasperation, but he smirked at the last part._

_Zion snarled at him in response and shifted closer to the wall he had been sitting against. He dared not breathe through his nose. Josh watched him silently, waiting. Was he waiting for an opportunity, a moment of weakness? Or was he waiting for Zion to finally give in? They were both fighting their bodies' wanton desires, demands, and they were both trying not to give in. For Zion it was a matter of pride. For Josh it was a matter of competition. He simply did not want to be bested by the Sayian. _

_Everything Josh did was instantly noted. Every breath he took, every move, shift or subtle movement of his body was recognised. All of it added to the raging fire in his body. It was as though they were somehow connected by the shared energy. Zion hated it but at the same time this connection to someone else after so long of solitude was bliss. He was actually enjoying himself in a weird way. Zion gulped when he realised where his thoughts were going and he heard Josh's breathing hitch. Shit. The opportunity had just presented itself. Josh had never moved much from his spot on the opposite end of the rocky cell. He moved now. He walked closer and Zion's muscles tensed up more. _

"_Don't." Zion almost pleaded. _

_Why was he really denying this? Was he afraid that Josh would reject him? Was he afraid that he'd start to care? Whatever it was, it definitely wasn't his aversion to the sex. Hell the thought had even crossed his mind when he'd first seen Josh. How could it not what with the terrifyingly cold beauty. His skin was pale white and his hair was a vibrant neon green that stood up in spikes much like the Sayians' hair. His eyes when he opened them revealed a deep green that was more intimidating than black could ever be. His lips were contrasted in the sense that they were an almost cheery red and full, much more like a female. His features closely resembled that of the Sayians apart from the odd colouring. Zion took note that his cheeks were quite pink as well. Silver small and think hoops lined one ear that jingle ever so softly as he walked. When he spoke he revealed four pointy teeth that did wonders for the imagination._

_Josh stopped just out of Zion's reach and stared down at him. Zion was sitting on the floor hugging his knees just so that his hands had something to do. There was no way he was going _

_to be able to hold his breath forever. The minute he took a lungful of air he was a goner and Josh knew this, wanted to prove that he was right. Well he'd chosen the wrong test subject. _

_Zion snarled and sprang at Josh wrestling him to the floor and pinning him there. He smirked down at the boy trying to twist around. Zion let him squirm around so that he was lying with his back to the floor, and facing Zion. He was breathing just as hard as Zion was. _

_Zion leaned down and licked a line up Josh's neck, pausing to nip the skin over his pulse, earning a strangled gasp from the boy. _

"_You want to play? Let's play, but we're doing this my way, because you just don't have any other choice. Besides you'll love it." Zion growled in Josh's ear answered only with a whimper. _

_Zion then fused their lips together violently. Josh met him stroke, clash and groan every step of the way. Zion rocked his hips and the movement caused both their erections to rub against the other. Josh broke away from the kiss with a cry. He was clutching onto Zion as if that was the only thing keeping him grounded and for all he knew it just might have been._

_Zion growled when Josh's arms wrapped around him as the boy sat up, shifting Zion so that he was slightly lower down. Josh's hands went dangerously low, close to the small of his back and the base of his tail. Zion growled warningly when Josh's hand caressed their way lower. Josh ignored that growl and pressed his lips back to Zion's. Zion did not respond to show his displeasure at the Taegeite's actions. _

_All displeasure dissolved however when the base of his tail was grasped and a pressure point was squeezed. It was Zion's turn to cry out as his whole body was zapped with a white hot heat that went straight to his groin. _

"_Trust me. We're both instinctively hardwired to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. It came with the whole 'destined to be enemies' job." Josh said arrogantly, probably a smirk too._

"_I didn't think it included sexual weaknesses." Zion rasped out._

"_Now tell me Sayian, why wouldn't there be an entire inventory of ways to sexually torture your partner?" Josh asked hitting another pressure point that caused Zion to weaken because of the sheer force of the desire that plagued his system._

_Two could play at this game. Josh's weakness was simply finding all the right spots to hit with Ki, what with him being an energy being and all. Zion smirked before kissing Josh, slipping his tongue into his mouth. He was sweet for a male but he was also exotic, addictive if one wasn't careful. Zion directed a small amount of Ki to his lips, charging them so that they sparked. From the choked gasp from Josh Zion figured he'd won that round. _

"_How about we both agree to stop playing around and get down to it?" Josh suggested breathlessly._

"_Oh but I was just getting started." Zion whined with a mock pout, "But if you insist."_

_Zion fell backwards and dragged Josh with him. Zion immediately rolled so that he was on top. The fight to be on top was going to be interesting, he didn't expect the Taegeite to be submissive. As expected Josh growled and pressed another pressure point near his tail. The flare of heat, lust and weakness was enough to give Josh an opportunity to flip Zion so that he was flat on his back. _

"_Hold on honey, we haven't even taken off our clothes." Zion smirked._

"_Get used to the position darling, cause it's where you'll be staying." Josh replied straddling his waist._

"_For now." Zion replied._

_Josh didn't seem to be taking him at his word. He watched in fascination as the Taegeite removed the green material wrapped around his waist. The black gi top was not far behind. All that remained was the green under shirt. Zion shot up so that Josh was forced to wrap his legs around his waist if he wanted to avoid falling backwards. Zion grasped Josh's hip before sliding his hands up, bringing the undershirt with him. He leaned in and kissed Josh's cheek before moving backwards and wrenching the shirt over the other's head and tossing it aside. _

_Josh's build while didn't speak of a serious martial artist, it did speak of some experience in the field. Zion flicked a nipple, forcing Josh to arch his back._

"_Now how is it that the boy who was supposed to fight me in the ultimate battle is such a terrible fighter?" Zion asked, his voice husky. _

"_In this form, Sayian. Believe me when I say that once I'm in my true form you don't stand a chance in hell." Josh growled._

_Zion continued to torture the Taegeite by slowly circling his nipples, charging the tips of his fingers with Ki so that it sparked every time contact was made._

"_You speak as if I'm still planning on fighting that battle. I'd say Fate screwed us both over wouldn't you? Besides, you should take care of your physical form. You never know when you might need it." Zion replied before unexpectedly swooping them both down, making him the one on top._

"_We must fight. It is our purpose, our only reason for existing in the first place." Josh struggled to say as Zion dipped his hand into Josh's now loose gi pants. _

_His fingertips sparked as they stroked Josh's cock. He saw the overwhelming sensation this caused in the Taegeite through his eyes, which were almost a glowing shade of bright green. In fact Josh's entire body seemed to be pulsing with neon green energy as he lost control over his physical body. Josh bit his bottom lip and squeezed his eyes shut as though the simple actions would help him to withstand the storm of sensation attacking his body. _

"_See what I mean about that physical body thing. Now back to the fight thing. No one said we had to fight. We have a choice and right now I'd rather not kill you. After all I'm having way to much fun toying with you. Did you know that you're utterly adorable when you scrunch your nose up like that?" Zion replied hitting a more sensitive spot on Josh's cock, causing the Taegeite to curl in on himself. _

_Zion shifted so that he could squeeze the base of Josh's cock, stopping the completion but not the sensation. Josh cried out, his finger nails digging into Zion's shoulders. Zion was willing to bet that Josh's cock was only pounding more now, since it hadn't gotten to release. _

"_Jerk." Josh spat shoving him away, but not as far as Zion guessed he had hoped._

"_Aww come on the games just started sweet heart. See I told you to stay away from me. I'm not exactly the sanest person out there and neither are my desires. For example, I'm trying to decide whether or not to let you be on top." Zion said in a mock friendly tone. _

"_Fine I take back jerk and change it to freak." Josh said before throwing himself at Zion with an evil chuckle._

_Zion caught the imp before he could cause too much damage to his control and pinned him to the floor._

"_Are you going to behave while I undress or am I going to have to take precautions?" Zion asked before nipping his neck, sucking it to mark the skin._

"_You'll just have to wait and see." Josh replied with devil may care smirk._

_Zion smirked right back and suddenly Ki swirling into existence around them and moved to wrapped around Josh's limbs, pinning him in place. Zion stepped back and went about removing his armour. He could never understand how his father supposedly wore this all the time. He'd rather wear the clothes of the Guardians. Zion knelt on the floor when he was done and simply raised his face to the dark ceiling, his eyes closed. Josh was looking and appreciating despite himself. This had started as just sex but now it more than that, he wasn't quite sure what though. _

_Zion moved towards Josh and tugged off his boots before stripping him of the black gi pants and underwear. He watched Zion, not moving a muscle. Zion's gaze flickered back to Josh's and the Taegeite smiled, an actual honest smile. It made Zion freeze in surprise. This was what he'd been afraid of, attachments in any form. Friend, lover, whatever he was . . . Frieza's men would rip it away as soon as they figured it out. What hurt the most was the fact that they could. There was nothing he could do to stop them._

_Josh chuckled before easily pulling free of the Ki binding him in place. He almost slithered closer to Zion with a grin that made the Sayian suspicious. He unexpectedly darted around Zion and grabbed the tip of his tail, sliding it into his mouth and sucking gently. Zion was momentarily without the ability to breath. Josh's little stunt had sent a zap of desire straight to his groin strong enough to stop the rhythmic in and out of his lungs. Josh placed his hands on Zion's shoulders, using them to balance himself. _

"_What were you doing just after you finished getting undressed?" he whispered in Zion's ear, shifting his body at the same time so that he was positioned just right. _

"_Making the decision, on whether or not to let you be on top." Zion replied but his sentence hitched since the imp behind him had thrust forwards, impaling him fully. _

"_I don't think anyone's on top in this position but tell me Sayian, what did you decide?" Josh asked still not moving._

"_That, Taegeite is something you'll never know. Next time however I get to fuck you." Zion growled._

"_There's going to be a next time?" Josh asked slowly pulling out._

"_You bet your sweet little ass there is. Now quite stalling and just fuck me already." Zion snapped and Josh thrust forwards, hard, finding his prostate easily enough._

_Josh's next thrust was slow, brushing over Zion's prostate the whole time. Josh's one hand wrapped around Zion's cock and the Sayian growled and started a stuttering purr. He'd never had reason to purr before in his life. _

"_Let's show you the hell you put me through earlier shall we? Heavenly hell I might add." Josh murmured and the Ki he had directed to his fingertips sparked when he slid his hand down to the base of Zion's cock._

"_Fuck!" Zion's outburst only amused Josh._

_Josh's thrusts were still slow, taking their time and driving them both insane. Before Josh could move his hand again, Zion stopped him, not at all ready for that onslaught of sensation. _

"_Oh no, cupcake, I'm getting my way and I want you to feel what I did. Except for me you know it was way worse." Josh scolded sending more Ki to his hand._

_Zion let go purely on instinct to find something to anchor him but the only thing solid was the being behind him. Josh cupped his balls, playing with the sensitive skin behind them and Zion went limp, leaning heavily onto Josh who had paused in his thrusting in favour of watching Zion squirm. _

_He stroked Zion's cock, grunting when the Sayian squirmed and his inner muscles squeezed. _

"_Josh . . . gnh . . . stop . . . shit . . . messing with . . . ah . . . me and just fuck me already!" Zion managed to yell through pants, gasps and cries. _

"_Sure about that?" Josh asked._

"_Don't make me switch positions on you." Zion growled._

_Josh let go of his cock with a chuckle, slowly sliding out before thrusting back in harder than before. Josh wrapped his arms around Zion as he pounded into him, thrusting faster and harder than before, not really hard considering he had been going slowly before. Each thrust slammed into the Sayian's prostate and he struggled to keep his Ki under control. Setting off the collar now would so kill the mood. _

"_Josh, I'm gonna . . . shit!" Zion said before white hot pleasure started at the base of his spine and surged forwards consuming his entire body as he found completion._

"_Shh, I'm right behind you." Josh whispered before adding with an evil chuckle, "Literally." _

_The steady pounding stuttered in rhythm and Josh's embrace tightened before he cried out. Zion was too weak to support his own weight and when Josh slumped forwards as well he let them both fall to the ground below them. _

"_What do you say to taking a break." Josh asked between pants also pulling out of Zion with a groan shared by Zion._

"_I say we should take a big break. I'm sure our not so steady Ki would have been read and recorded by the collars and sent back up to the bastards." Zion replied sleepily. _

_Zion waved a hand absently and their clothes materialised back onto their bodies, "Trust me when I say that naked is not what you want to be when they come in here, should they do that." he muttered._

"_Whatever. Just shut up so I can go to sleep." Josh mumbled still not moving from his position on top of Zion._

"_My thoughts exactly imp." Zion replied smiling to himself at the tired chuckle he received in reply._

* * *

><p>The ship landed with a rattle that was enough to wake both Tarble and Trunks. Zion said nothing as he waited for the doors to open. That little imp was mostly the reason for his insanity and his love of the game he played with Trunks, but he would be lying if he said the game still worked. It didn't and it never would be the same. Perhaps he could find a way to revive the boy that was to be his enemy, the boy who had ended up being his best friend. Did the dragon grant such power or would he have to go to otherworld to see if he could not find Josh there?<p>

For now, however he had other things to worry about, like the nearest decent bar. Next he planned on sorting out Planet Vegeta. Then he could concentrate on Josh.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Zion!" Trunks yelled from somewhere deeper in the ship.

The sound of his footsteps grew louder, closer. Zion ignored Trunks' approach already knowing what he was going to say.

"Where are we?" Trunks asked coming to a stop next to Zion who was standing on the dusty terrain and surveying it carefully.

"Does it matter?" Zion replied blandly.

"Is it dangerous?" Trunks replied with a raised brow.

"Probably." Zion replied with a shrug.

"Then yes, it does matter." Trunks huffed.

"What's your problem? Between you and me there's nothing that can touch us. It's kind of boring having this much power. There's no one there to challenge you." Zion replied rolling his eyes.

"Gohan used to say that even the weakest enemy could kill you." Trunks muttered.

"Only if you get careless. Which I will never be." Zion said slowly, meaning to reassure Trunks.

"Yeah. Anyways, what are we doing here?" Trunks asked perking up and looking around.

"I needed a drink." Zion replied vaguely.

"So you detoured the ship for a drink?" Trunks asked in disbelief.

"Not just any drink. One strong enough to knock a few memories back into the dark corners of my mind where they belong. They seem to want to come out to play and I don't feel like it." Zion grumbled before starting to walk.

Trunks took in the bland seemingly deserted wilderness. Then again, appearances could be deceiving.

"What about Tarble?" Trunks called after Zion.

"Leave him behind for all I care. He won't leave the ship." Zion yelled back waving a hand dismissively.

Trunks glanced back at the ship uncertainly before jogging to catch up to Zion. He sure hoped that Zion was right. The place around them held virtually nothing but rock hard ground that was an odd green colour that reminded him of what he had referred to as puke green as a small child.

"So there are really bars around here?" Trunks asked uncertainly when a gust of gaseous hat air puffed to the surface just to his left.

"I wouldn't be wasting my time with this shithole if I wasn't." Zion replied walking faster.

Walking just didn't seem to be cutting it as he hopped up and started to just hover before zooming off somewhere. Trunks hastily raised his power level high enough to keep up with his brother. The lighting on the planet was weird too. It was like they were flying in a surreal world. It made Trunks feel like he was floating outside of himself, even as he zoomed through the air after Zion. The air was thicker, more dead than that of even spaceships. Now that he thought about it, it sounded wrong as well. He thought back to the brief conversation between Zion and himself. The sound had seemed muffled, adding to the surreal-ness of the planet.

Zion lowered down in a patch of darkness that quite frankly looked out of place. It was like a dip in the otherwise flat terrain. Trunks followed, wondering if he should transform to super Sayian if only for the light it would provide.

"The drug like quality of this planet is what makes it so sought after." Zion informed Trunks from lower down.

Sought after? There wasn't anybody there! It was just as he was thinking that thought when he felt the Ki signals. There were hundreds maybe thousands spread across the entire planet. He hadn't sensed them earlier because they were all oddly suppressed, but differently from how he did it. This was like a drug or alcohol induced suppression. What was this place?

Zion started to dive straight down, falling really head first towards the ground. He spread his arms on either side and spiralled straight down. Trunks' heart leapt into his throat but he was only slightly worried. After all Zion's eyes were closed and his features were blissfully peaceful, even though he was falling.

Trunks dove after him, only keeping more control over his Ki. The darkness was quickly becoming something tangible, almost a solid thing. Would he know where the ground was?

The question was answered as Zion flipped through the air and landed in a crouched position with enough impact to cause a minor earthquake. Trunks slowed down so that he would touch the ground gently since he didn't know exactly where it was.

There was a flare and light instantly surrounded them in a little bubble. What was once just a world or darkness, where only Zion could be seen was now a world of darkness in which there was a bubble of light and Zion. Trunks shook his head. What the hell was the point of this place?

"Look for a plant. There's only one kind that grows so it won't be that hard to find." Zion instructed starting to study the ground.

A plant? What the heck grew out here? It's official. The guy is crazy. However Trunks made his own Ki ball and began to search the ground as well.

"Over here Trunks!" Zion called from some distance away.

Trunks phased out of sight only to reappear next to Zion. Zion was bending down and reaching towards a small purple looking weed thing. Zion plucked two tiny yellow leaves off of it and instantly the two leaves grew back. It didn't seem to amaze Zion much. He took one leaf and handed the other to Trunks.

"Here, eat this. Chew it don't swallow." he ordered without further explanation before doing the same himself.

Trunks hesitated for only a second before taking the purple stemmed yellow leaf and placing it in his mouth. He was surprised when it didn't taste like anything. It secreted some sort of liquid substance and just sort of dissolved.

Trunks watched Zion the entire time just in case there was poison involved. At least he'd have the satisfaction of watching Zion die first. Zion closed his eyes and there was a brief flash of pain on his features. When Zion opened his eyes again they reflected the light like a nocturnal predator.

Trunks didn't have time to analyse it himself before his eyes began to sear violently. He pressed his lips together and squeezed his eyes shut. It was gone as soon as it had come and when he opened his eyes, the world around him was completely different. There were things in the darkness that he could not previously see and now suddenly could.

Zion extinguished his Ki ball and so did Trunks since the light actually hurt his eyes. Zion then started to slink in the darkness. Trunks blinked when he realised he was seeing Zion as a heat signature instead of a person. There were plenty heat signatures all around them in fact. Trunks kept close to Zion, figuring he knew what he was doing far better than Trunks did.

Zion led them to a building that pulsated in the black oblivion around them. Trunks didn't see it so much as feel the vibrations shaking the building. Zion walked right up to the door and entered the building without worrying about the line. Trunks did the same surprised when no one protested.

"Why didn't anyone stop us?" Trunks asked.

Zion laughed and stopped walking long enough to reply, "Because they can't see us. Not many people know about that little plant. They have to flounder around for ages before they find any building. At one stage there used to be a long pole attached to each building and the people just used to follow that but on my last visit here I destroyed them for entertainment."

Zion started walking again, leaving trunks to process what he'd just said.

"Oh by the way, close your eyes and rub them to make them go back to normal. There's going to be some heavy lights inside there and that'll give you a stroke or something like that." Zion said casually over his shoulder.

Trunks did as instructed and blinked away the slight haziness left behind. He followed Zion to what he would guess was a bar. From another room was the vibrations but Trunks didn't hear anything. Maybe it was soundproofed. All around the room they had just entered were round tables filled with aliens of every kind imaginable and none of them looked very welcoming. Trunks shifted uncomfortably when he noticed the looks they were getting. Zion however just strutted up to the bar and slammed a fist down on the table top.

"I want that bottle over there." he snapped at the glaring bartender.

"That there is Platinum Blu. That's hard, EXPENSIVE stuff." The bartender replied not moving towards the bottle and giving Zion a look that clearly said he didn't have the cash.

Zion growled and his tail unfurled very slowly, almost unconsciously. His hand swiped through the air and grabbed the bartender's greasy hair, yanking the surprised squawking alien closer.

"I want it now!" Zion yelled.

He shoved the bartender back and the poor alien stumbled. He hurriedly reached up for the bottle and set it down with a rather small glass in front of Zion who was now seated on a stool.

"What that really necessary?" Trunks asked flopping into the chair next to him.

The quiet buzz of conversation had been cut short at Zion's outburst and there was now a heavy silence in the room, complete with thick tension.

"Do I look like a patient person?" Zion snorted in reply.

"Fair enough." Trunks muttered.

Zion ignored the glass and opened the bottle taking a swig of glowing orange liquid that changed to blue and then back to orange as it swirled around in the bottle.

"Whoa easy there bud. You'll kill yourself if you drink that stuff like that." The bartender practically yelled in alarm.

"Huh. I doubt this stiff will even manage to make me drunk. I think I'll need a few bottles for that." Zion replied with a humourless chuckle.

The bartender chose not to reply and went to the far corner of the bar area. Wisely so. Zion started to chug down the liquid, rather rudely, before putting the now half full bottle down again and burping loudly.

"Is stuff even nice?" Trunks asked with narrowed eyes.  
>Zion offered the bottle to Trunks, making the liquid slosh around in the bottle. Trunks raised an eyebrow at Zion and he rolled his own in reply before picking up the previously ignored glass and filling it.<p>

Trunks cringe before picking up the glass. The last time he'd accepted a drink from Zion he'd been drugged.

"Well princess what are you waiting for, an invitation?" Zion mocked.

Trunks frowned before taking a large gulp. He very nearly spit it back but managed to somehow swallow it instead. Good Kami that stuff was vile. Zion found this extremely funny and began to laugh hysterically.

"You should see your face!" he managed to gasp out in between laughs and gulps of the vile concoction.

"So what exactly are you tow uglies anyway?" a gruff voice asked from somewhere in the room.

Trunks looked around for the owner but saw nothing more than a large shape clocked in shadow.

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder." Zion muttered under his breath with a other gulp before turning round in his chair to face the speaker.

"I am what I am." he sneered.

Trunks sighed sensing imminent battle ahead.

"So you're a smart ass as well as ugly. You a clown too funny man?"

"If you must know, not that I'm sure how this effects your life but whatever, I'm a Sayian." Zion replied rudely.

"A Sayian? There's no such thing. Not anymore. Frieza made sure of that."

"He missed a few. My father and the other Sayian that defeated him on Namek." Zion replied with a shrug.

"Who's your father than funny man?"

"Again, I fail to see where this is any of your business." Zion snapped taking another gulp.

"There's really no need to be rude to simple curiosity." A soft water like voice said from the opposite end of the room.

Oddly enough the voice made Zion freeze in surprise. The voice was definitely female, well as female as far as Trunks' memory banks knew. Then again Frieza had sounded female as well so one never could be certain.

Zion's surprise didn't last long. He disappeared with a snarl only to reappear in front of the speaker. Trunks hadn't even been sure who it had been until Zion had so subtly pointed it out for him. He was more surprised than Zion had been to learn that it was a girl with the palest blond hair. She looked much like a human except for a few small characteristics that set her apart.

"What the hell are you doing in a place like this?" Zion demanded grabbing the girl's wrists and shaking her.

She yanked her hands away, rubbing at her wrists, but did not answer. She glared at Zion before flipping her hair and huffing, "I quote, I don't see how that's any of your business."

Zion smirked suddenly before beginning to circle the girl.

"You know who I am. Take a guess." Zion teased.

"What the hell are you talking about? I think that drink has finally gone to your head. . ." The girl started to say but Zion moved towards her and placed two fingers over her lips while making shushing sounds.

"No. I didn't say talk. I said take a guess, ergo think it over." Zion tsked.

Those fingers of his moved away from her lips to caress up her cheek.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver ever so slightly.

"Looking for information." she breathed out and then scowled as though she had not wished this information to ever part from her lips, not to him anyways.

"Try me. I know an awful lot of things." Zion said cockily.

Trunks noticed that the bottle wasn't even moved throughout this entire display. Who was she?

"Fine. Smart ass. I'm looking for information on the whereabouts of a person."

"And I probably already know who that person is. If I'm right and you'd better pray I'm not then you're wasting your time." Zion replied stepping back and waving a hand through the air almost angrily.

"What are you, psychic as well as annoying?" she huffed.

"No, Solara, I'm just very well informed." Zion smirked.

Her green eyes widened at the name. He knew her name. It forced her to look more deeply at him, see him for what he really was other than the cocky possible drunk alien she had been seeing him as. His eyes met hers and the light reflected off the silver ring around the black. Zion . . .

"So I told you, now you tell me. What are you doing here Guardian?" Solara said snappishly, choosing that persona as a cover to hide surprise and . . . fear.

"It's funny, Josh always said Sayian. I think he was trying to belittle me, but it never really worked since I'm proud to be a Sayian, just not of my father. Besides, it's hard to belittle someone when you're sitting in the exact same position as they are." Zion commented thoughtfully, this time taking a particularly large gulp.

"What are you talking about? You can't have already met my brother! If that is true and you are here then he is – " Solara began but Zion cut her off by saying blandly, "Dead?" but the way he said it, it wasn't really a question.

"No! You're lying!" Solara yelled sounding less like flowing water and more like a rushing river.

"Afraid not sweetheart. Why do you think I'm here?" Zion replied.

"What _are_ you doing here? Celebrating your victory?" Solara hissed in demand.

Zion studied her silently for a moment, the bottle taking regular trips upwards. Only when he was finished did he toss it aside. He walked to the bar, dug something out and tossed it down on the table top. He finished the glass Trunks had all but forgotten about before turning back to Solara who looked livid. She looked ready to kill Zion.

"Does it _look_ like I'm celebrating?" Zion asked sarcastically before turning back to Trunks and making a gesture for him to follow. They were halfway out before Solara realised they were leaving.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!" she yelled after them.

Zion just walked faster, almost running. If Trunks didn't know any better he'd say Zion was desperate. Before Trunks knew quite what was happening they were out in the darkness once more. He was forced to follow Zion's Ki since Zion apparently didn't feel the need to waste time looking for the plant again. Zion was flying at an almost erratic pace and Trunks wished he could say something but now wasn't the time.

"Nahrgg!" Was kind of the sound Zion made when they were suddenly surround by lights so bright it chased away the once impenetrable darkness.

Trunks looked around in confusion, not allowing his eyes to settle on the lights too long because it hurt too much. They looked like liquid fire, only somehow smoother.

"You will not leave until I say so!" A familiar voice commanded angrily.

"Really Solara? You're not your brother, you don't have the skills required to fight me. Even if you did what makes you think I want to fight you?" Zion replied blandly, having no problem with the iridescence around them.

Trunks managed to make out a human like shape that was more solid in the light which was more like concentrated energy. The one that had spoken, Solara, looked to be the most concentrated form and she was a bright golden yellow. The others were different colours, but all were neon in context. Trunks figured there were five of them including Solara. What were they?

"Don't underestimate me!" Solara warned.

"You don't even know what you're trying to get yourself into." Zion warned in reply.

"The great and powerful Guardian. Please. You're a drunken joke!" Solara spat.

Zion sighed before cracking his neck. His clothes began to shimmer and suddenly he was wearing the sapphire blue boots, the loose black gi pants secured with the blue strip of material and the open blue shirt flapped around in time to the crackling black electricity around him. Zion fisted fingerless gloved hands and his eyes narrowed.

"You don't want to get into this Solara." he said slowly.

"Oh but that's where you're wrong. I do. Very, very much so." Solara snapped before disappearing.

Zion disappeared from sight as well and Trunks decided that now was a good time to land. As he began to descend the four other beings followed, but they kept their distance.

Trunks was forced to duck out of the way as two bodies were suddenly slammed into the ground just next to him, making one hell of a crater.

"You're in way over your head! What are you trying to prove?" Zion yelled at a now solid, more human looking form of Solara.

"I'm going to make you pay for what you did!" Solara yelled back, trying to get the upper hand.

"Tg, you assume too much, fool." Zion replied softly, touching Solara's forehead, and she went still instantly.

"What did you do to her?" Trunks asked sliding into the crater.

"She wants to know what happened to her brother, so I showed her. Now she'll learn the hard way." Zion replied simply before lifting her and throwing her over his shoulder.

Zion took off into the air and Trunks followed, surprised when the four other beings did nothing more than follow themselves. What was their purpose?

_The door was thrown open and light spilled in earning a hiss from one of the prisoners inside. Zion sprang up into a crouched position, glancing briefly at the disoriented Taegeite. A soldier walked in and went immediately to Josh._

_Zion's heart raced with the decision he was now faced with. If he defended Josh then they would know and use it against him. If he didn't Josh would pay for it and so would his conscious as well as Josh's feelings towards him. Zion cringed before making his choice. Please don't let me regret this . . ._

_Zion attacked viciously. He sprang at the unsuspecting soldier, grabbing a tuft of hair and yanking it back. His other hand went to the soldiers arm. With a manic laugh he sunk his teeth into the soldier's neck and main artery. The soldier's scream was cut off in a gurgle of blood. _

_Zion dropped the body that was now beginning to spasm and spit the blood in his mouth at the body. He realised he now had an opportunity to escape if the soldier was alone. Perhaps they idiots had thought he'd be too starved and drained of energy to attack. _

_Zion glanced down at Josh who was now fully awake and gapping at him in horror. He didn't know what this place was. Would he ever fully understand? Maybe . . . if they didn't escape now. Zion grabbed his arm and yanked him to his feet before running to the door. The light hit him hard and his eyes began to tear up but he ignored it, forcing himself to rely on memory alone until his eyes could adjust. _

_The rock changed to metal so suddenly the noise of their boots slamming onto made him freeze. It didn't last long however as he was quick to get moving again. He looked around trying to find any indication as to where to go next. Concentrate fool! Use your abilities._

_Zion closed his eyes and allowed the ever present whisperings of the outcomes of every choice ever made to enter his mind. He made a choice and the whispers told him the outcome. Now all he had to do was have a quick reaction. _

_Decisions, decisions. So many choice yet only one right path. Left, no right. Straight, not turn. Guards! Dead end. Not there, it'll only lead you deeper. Right! Left! Left again. Run faster, the door's going to close. Keep going. Soldier ahead. Easily defeated. Wait, what? Freeze._

_Zion stopped suddenly. His heart felt like it had frozen in his chest. His mother stood waiting down one corridor, frantically gesturing for him to hurry and go that way. He blinked and she was gone._

_A body slammed into him the same moment his collar activated. It only shocked him and did not paralyse him this time. The alarm penetrated his mind the same time Cado and Abo showed up. _

"_What were you trying to achieve, freedom? You would've gotten out of here but then what? There's nowhere else to go." _

_Zion stayed silent. He did not struggle. He only stared at the spot his mother had been before. He was lifted from the floor, the pain from his collar barely registering._

"_Why the hell did he bother bringing this dead weight along? He'd have made it out if he'd left the sorry piece of shit behind." _

_The sound of flesh hitting flesh, the crunch of bones and the grunt of pain from Josh brought Zion harshly back to reality. Before he realised what he was doing he was growling. _

"_Might I suggest we separate the two from now on." A cool voice said blandly._

_NO! They couldn't take Josh away! He'd only just gotten him._

"_Tgh good riddance." Zion stated arrogantly._

"_This arrangement pleases you?" _

"_Hell yes! That stupid incompetent waste of space is the torment of my existence. He doesn't shut up. He never stops moving and he sure as hell doesn't listen to me." Zion scoffed._

"_Fine then. Seeing as you enjoy his company so much, you can keep him."_

_Yes!_

"_I hope he wasn't important cause I will kill him." Zion replied lowly, threateningly. _

"_Hn. We'll see about that._

_The paralysing serum was injected then as was Josh's. Zion stayed awake long enough to see the hurt behind Josh's raging anger._

Zion placed Solara down on the ground by their ship. He then sat down and settled down for a long wait. Trunks sat next to him, watching the four other beings wearily.

"How long is she going to be out?" Trunks asked.

"Depends on how much her mind can accept." Zion replied curtly.

_Zion woke up back in the rocky cell. It wasn't the same one. It was smaller and had more light._

"_A waste of space huh? Is that what you were thinking when you were letting me screw you?" Josh asked barely audibly from the opposite end of the cell._

_Zion sat up and studied his companion silently. _

"_They would've put you in a separate cell where I had no control over what happens to you." Zion state simply._

"_Oh and ripping the throats out of other soldiers is better?" Josh snapped._

"_You don't have the right to question me. You don't have the right to judge me and my actions. Your morals and principles are USELESS here. You got that?" Zion snarled. _

_Josh didn't reply to Zion and Zion knew he should apologise, say something, do something but what._

"_You don't know what's it's like to live here. You don't know what they do. You certainly don't know what they will force you to do." Zion said quietly, heavily. _

"_Why do you shield me from the inevitable? You can't protect me forever. You can't even protect yourself." Josh murmured looking down._

_Zion was surprised at the sting of pain that ripped through his chest. He hadn't been physically hurt, so why did hurt to breath? Why was it so difficult to suddenly draw the next breath? Zion lay back down and tried not to think about the new predicament he now found himself in._


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_Josh wouldn't talk to him, wouldn't look at him He was trying to be as far away as the little cell allowed him to be. Zion was running low on energy again. He'd be a fool to think that they'd be fed any time soon. _

_For the first time since they'd been thrust together, Josh was completely and utterly still. He didn't move a muscle. Zion guessed he was probably meditating. Not that he cared. Josh was an inconvenience. They were enemies for crying out loud. He hadn't planned on this kid showing up. Hell he'd been hopeful that he would never have to see the kid. Yet, here they were. Fate really had one sick fucking sense of humour. However, whether or not he liked the kid or even wanted him around was beside the point because now he was here, and if there was one thing the Sayian hated more than anything, it was being ignored._

"_Are you going to ignore me? I told them you never shut up. You have to appear to be annoying me or else they'll move you." Zion said blandly._

_Silence. Not even a twitch. Zion studied him more carefully and saw that his body was too still, too ramrod straight. Against his better judgement Zion stood and walked over to the motionless Taegeite. He waved his hand in front of blank eyes. Nothing. He poked Josh and still there was nothing._

_With a shrug Zion pulled Josh up by the shirt causing his head to tilt back slightly. He then pressed his lips to Josh's. One hand threaded into his hair, the other supporting his weight. _

_Josh's eyes flared to live faster than a lightning strike. Zion had never closed his so he saw the anger and desire as soon as it was there. He also saw them both being suppressed. He didn't stop there though. Punishment was in order. One, for ignoring him. Two for not trusting in his judgement. Three, for realising the truth about him far faster than he himself ever had._

_Zion forced Josh into a deeper more passionate kiss. Ki danced along his fingertips causing the Taegeite to shiver. When Josh finally closed his eyes and moaned Zion pulled back. _

"_Where did you go?" Zion whispered inhaling Josh's scent. _

"_Home." Josh whispered in broken reply. _

_Zion sighed and pulled back, leaving a cold void of air by Josh. Home . . . He had none. This was where he had been all his life. Home is where the heart is, right? Then he had none there either._

"_I'll get us out of here." Zion said tonelessly, not a promise but a statement of fact, to him anyways._

"_Whatever." Josh muttered pushing away, "How long has it been this time?" _

"_I don't know." Zion replied blandly._

"_What exactly do they do around here anyways?"_

"_They're trying to resurrect the Cold Empire. It's not easy since everyone knows that Frieza was defeated by a Sayian. They might be as strong as Frieza once was but everyone knows how little that means these days. So they have power but not enough. They figured they needed resources to gain the false sense of power that it gives you." Zion replied._

"_Typical. What they lack in strength they try to make up for in riches. What is our purpose then?" Josh snorted._

"_Depends on your race and power level. Me, I'm supposed to do their dirty work. Kill all those that oppose them but they know that I have no loyalty to them, no reason to obey. I don't care if they kill me, I don't care if they kill anyone but they can't exactly just let me go. They don't know if I'll start to work against them if they do. They know I have power but they don't know how much. You, well your power level suggests soldier. They don't let just any one into the army division. The scum and weaklings they let live are usually sent to work stations all over the galaxy. They mine. Soldiers enforce and concur. Then there are the experiments and side projects." Zion replied, his mood getting darker with each word._

_Josh was silent for a very long time and Zion didn't push him. There was still a thick tension in the air and it was a clear indication of distrust. Well at least they were talking again._

"_Aren't you supposed to have family?" Josh eventually whispered._

_Zion immediately froze. This was a topic he did not enjoy. A father who abandoned him to this shit craptastic life. A father who found love in the arms of another despite already being mated to his mother. A father who had abandoned his mother when she needed him most. A father who was destined to have another son, one who would grow up in a completely different lifestyle. There would be no blood and slavery for the younger Prince. No that privilege it seemed was reserved only for the oldest. His mother was no better. Allowing a weakling fool to kill her so that he, her only and unprepared son, may gain her power and her responsibilities. He had never wanted them, not even when she began instructing him from the womb. Not even then. He'd had a conscious, he been able to think, make decisions. Yet he had never been asked as to what he wanted. Certainly not this. _

"_So I guess we both have a touchy subject." Josh muttered, not pressing the issue._

_Days passed and still no food was given to the two teens. Zion figured that they'd have to get food eventually and he was right. They wanted him weak, not dead. So after days almost turned to weeks, food was shoved through the door. It was divided equally and the two ate silently. Zion however was not relieved by this small pleasantry. It usually meant he was needed for something. _

_When the door opened this time several soldiers burst in. Both Zion and Josh were shoved to the ground and cuffed with further Ki draining bondage devices. Weren't the stupid collars enough? _

_He was dragged to his feet and shoved harshly through the door. What would it be this time? More testing? Intimidation? Torture? Or maybe it was to play with the other kiddies. Perhaps they had decided that it was recess time. That was always nice. He got to run around and move a bit, but it was never long enough. However a recess always accompanied something else and besides it was rather unlikely after his escape attempt._

"_Sayian Mutt! Someone upstairs loves you or something because it was ordered that you get an hour out in the block." One of the higher up but still unimportant officers barked._

_So recess it was. How odd. Something horrific must have been planned. Zion glanced at Josh who was also being shoved around. He looked confused but Zion couldn't exactly clear up any of that confusion until they actually came to the 'block'. It was nicknamed the block do to its total lack of windows and doors. There was one, and only one. In the event of an emergency, most wouldn't make it our alive. The prisoners were not the main concern in a state of panic anyways. _

_Zion walked faster so that he didn't have to be seen being shoved around. He needed respect where the other prisoners were involved and so far he had some. Word of his failed escape attempt however remained to be seen. As they waited for the doors to open Zion muttered to Josh very quietly, "Let me handle this. Things could escalate to a level we can't afford right now, so be cautious." _

_Josh didn't acknowledge whether or not he'd heard the statement but there wasn't any time or opportunity to beat the krap out of him. That would have to wait for later. The doors hissed open and all activity inside the room halted._

_Zion strode in as though he did this every day, but they all knew (Excluding Josh) that this privilege only happened when Zion was needed for something far less pleasant. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy himself while he was here._

_Zion scowled when Josh was shoved through the door but he said nothing. It wasn't his fault that the idiot was slow. The doors hissed shut with a sort of finality that really grated on the Sayian's nerves. _

"_Well, well, well. If it isn't our favourite jerk. And look he's got a friend." One of the more irritating inmates sneered._

_So Zion wasn't the most popular alien in the sandbox. So sue him. He didn't goad the alien into further commentary, but rather turned a blank stare in his direction. It was the who gives a fuck what you think look that made more than a few aliens crumble. It worked well. _

_Zion then turned his attention to Josh. He grabbed the idiot's front shirt and hauled him over to a less crowded corner. Josh wiggled and squirmed the whole way but he didn't protest. Perhaps he knew it would be useless._

"_Listen to me for a second would you." Zion snapped._

"_Why?" Josh replied blandly._

"_Because right now I know a hell of a lot more about this place then you ever will." Zion snarled._

"_If I didn't know any better I'd say you're trying to protect me." Josh said with a sly smirk._

"_Yeah, so what if I am. There's only one person that gets to kill you and that's me." Zion said arrogantly._

"_Fine I'm listening." _

"_This little party isn't going to end well. Food plus a trip to the block normally ends in some sort of physical torture. You can bet your bottom dollar that it isn't about to change. Adding in the fact that I tried to drag our asses outta here, it's going to be pretty harsh." Zion said quickly and lowly._

"_Why do I have to take shit for your stupid ideas?" Josh grumbled._

"_Well whether or not I tried to escape would have made no difference for you. You're new and they want to break you. Being paired with me was just bad luck on your part." Zion replied indifferently._

_Josh opened his mouth to snap out a reply but was interrupted._

"_So mongrel, you too good for this shit hole or what?"_

_Zion turned slowly and studied the alien that had spoken.  
>"Why yes QuweeKee, I believe I'm far more superior to you, in every way possible. Does that answer your question?" Zion replied sweetly.<em>

"_You trying to imply something?" _

"_I wasn't TRYING to imply anything. I was stating quite boldly a fact. You. Are. Stupid." Zion replied cheerfully and slowing down on the last part, speaking several pitches higher._

_The alien snapped and in a fit of rage flew at Zion. Zion simply leaned forward, the alien's own momentum throwing him in the path of Zion's raised fist. Zion caught the alien before he could fall to the ground and swung him, throwing him clear across the large room. _

"_And they think I'm the evil one." Josh muttered._

"_No, the side you represent is evil. I still don't understand why they chose you. You're such a wimp." Zion corrected while wiping his hands on his pants in disgust._

"_As opposed to you, who's a heartless jerk." Josh replied with a sweet smile._

"_Don't start with me kid." Zion warned._

"_Kid. I hardly think that's a title worthy of your equal." Josh scoffed._

"_Equal? Ha! You're too pathetic, kid." Zion laughed._

_Josh smirked before engaging Zion in a spar. Neither could use Ki but the physical exertion after being cooped up for so long was like heaven. Neither wanted to go back to the cell but each one knew that it was inevitable._

_Zion thoroughly enjoyed it. The blood pumping though his veins at a quickened pace, his breath whooshing from his lungs he we was forced to bend his body in ways most wouldn't even consider possible, all of it was a glorious reprise from the cramped endless days of nothing._

_Zion froze however when the heel of his palm connected savagely with Josh's solar plexus and the other was forced to their knees, gasping for a breath that could not be draw._

"_And here I thought you were the type to kick a guy while he was down." Josh gasped out._

"_Save your breath, you need it." Zion replied quietly. _

_He hadn't meant to hit Josh that hard. Instead of continuing the fight he kneeled down next to Josh, behind him, and leaned down to whisper in his ear. _

"_Look at the soldiers around you. Notice anything?" _

_Josh was silent apart of the slight gasp every so often. The hitch in his breathing told Zion that it was still slightly painful._

"_Not all wear collars. In fact there are maybe five who do."_

"_Very good. Collar's mean a high risk factor. Feel honoured that they consider you as such." Zion purred, "Personally though I don't see it."_

_Josh spun around suddenly, knocking Zion to the ground and straddling his waist. He pin Zion to the ground with a pleased purr and smug smirk._

"_Really?" he asked pinning Zion's hands down above his head. _

_Zion jerked when the tiniest amount of Josh's energy was forced into his body. His eyes widened slightly in panic. Not now, he mouthed at the Taegeite who got confused. Josh straightened, letting go of Zion's wrists at the same time._

"_What are you on about?"_

"_Are you forgetting the fact that we won't be going back to the cell after this? I'd rather not have a raging hard on when I go to the torture chambers." Zion scowled sitting up and forcing Josh to lose his balance and slam against his chest._

"_Then again, the possibilities do seem endless. Hay I just got an idea, how sadistic are you?" Zion asked with a thoughtful tone._

"_Depends on who's at the receiving end." Josh replied pushing away from Zion._

"_When we get taken to the torture chambers and all and provided that we're taken to the same one . . . if you can reach my hand, do that energy thing. Maybe the hard on will creep them out. Lord knows that those idiots aren't into homosexuality. I've seen them kill an alien because he looked too pretty. We're too valuable and hard to kill so we could have some fun with this." Zion explained._

"_You need help." Josh stated blandly._

_Zion just raised an eyebrow in expectation._

"_Alright, alright. You just better pray they put us back in the same cell afterwards. That way I can torture you myself after the hell you're going to put me through." Josh snapped._

"_I never forced you into anything. I think I'm appealing to your inner sadist, you had to have been chosen for something right?" Zion laughed._

_The buzzer that warned of the door opening sounded then and true to the warning the door hissed open. Zion narrowed his eyes when he saw who had walked in. Remus, one of the originals. He'd been around from day one and he was one of the five or seven that ran this place. _

_His cold eyes scanned the block, his face rippling into one of disgust. He smirked cruelly when he spotted Zion and Josh. A gesture of his hand was all it took for guards to come rushing in, roughly pull the two to their feet and out the door. _

_Zion snarled and pulled away from the guard's grasp. He was pleased when he saw Josh do the same, not so slow after all._

"_I'm perfectly capable of walking by myself you idiot." Zion snapped._

"_Yes, we all know that, but what we don't know is how eager are you to get so fresh air." Remus drawled in a bored voice but Zion saw the barely leashed excitement in his eyes. _

_Zion used his tail to subtly warn Josh, to get his attention at the very least. Josh's eyes flickered to his and Zion let his own eyes flash more sliver than black, widening the silver ring around the black. He hoped that Josh would get the message. The silent barely there while of approval greeted him in reply and Zion smirked before using his mother's side's abilities. They didn't require much energy, if any, meaning the collar was useless, but that was only true when the subject they were being used upon was not resisting. The more resistance the more energy he used. _

_He entered Josh's mind but only stayed surface deep, deep enough to be heard but not to see or hear anything in return._

"_His name is Remus and I've never seen him this excited. See his pupils, they're dilated. That means he's sexually aroused, or close to it and he only gets that way when he is inflicting physical pain. He's the lead honcho on torture and he enjoys what he does. If he's aroused with even having done anything then something major must be up. I hope you can handle it pretty boy. DO NOT give him the satisfaction. I'll kill you myself if you do." Zion warned mentally._

"_What, all of a sudden not so fond of me? Pain is a state of mind fool." Josh hissed back._

"_If you want to believe that. Your first instinct will be to change to your other form and you won't be able to so don't do it." Zion replied._

"_Duh." _

_Zion growled and the guards gave him a look. He rolled his eyes before glancing over to Josh who glanced at him innocently. Yes he liked his company but he wouldn't miss it should it no longer be available. Perhaps what scared him most about that statement was the fact that he knew he was lying to himself._

* * *

><p>Zion looked over at Solara. She was shaking, her body breaking into sweat. How much more could she take? Where was she even? He briefly touched her mind. Not very far apparently. Still, everything sort of went snowballing from that little torture session. It wouldn't be long now.<p>

Trunks had fallen asleep and Zion's attention was brought to him once more as the younger Sayian whimpered. Zion narrowed his eyes in confusion. It was the same pitiful whimper as before, back on Earth.

He glanced at the Taegeites that had come with Solara. He found it odd that they did not protect her. Perhaps they realised that there was not much that they could do. They were still as statues now. Waiting perhaps. They flinched when Trunks made a pathetic high pitched whine.

Zion scooted over to him, not quite sure what to do.

"_Tsk, Little One, do you not remember my promise to protect you?_" Zion asked the sleeping Sayian in the language of his mother's people.

Gently he probed the boys mind, not shocked to see the androids plaguing it. Gohan's body lay in the mud not far this time, his blank eyes gaping up at the ruins. A younger Trunks was fighting both androids with little success. Slowly this dream was morphing into another but still somehow involving the dream. Cell and Vegeta were added. Cell was in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to strike. Vegeta simply stood on the side lines, not lifting a finger to help. Trunks' unconscious mind was reflecting on an incident where baby Trunks and his mother had been in a plane, a plane that would have crashed. It did crash but Trunks and not Vegeta had saved the occupants inside.

Zion sighed and pulled out, knowing that the dream would only get worse. So he lifted the smaller Sayian in to his arms and sat down against a rock, placing Trunks' head in the crook of his shoulder and neck.

"_Sleep little one, I'm here_." Zion whispered.

Trunks' harsh breathing deepened after a few minutes and Zion smirked. Yes, he would protect this young one, even from himself.

* * *

><p><em>Zion found himself strapped to a cold metal cross. Cross meant more room to work. Josh was staring up at him, having yet to be strapped down himself. <em>

_Actually he was gawking. This was the first time he could see Zion in a harsh glaring light that put far too much emphasis on the scars that blemished his body._

_His shirt had been removed and although Josh could only see his front half, his imagination more than made up for what he couldn't see. Surprisingly though, Zion would have to say that he wouldn't be too far off the mark, no matter how wild his imagination got. _

_The metal clamps holding him down cut into his skin, allowing blood to drip onto the floor. He bit back the grimace as all his weight was steadily forced onto the claps. A ripping sound made his attention snap back to Josh who was being unceremoniously undressed. He too was only left with his bright green Gi pants and strapped down to a cold metallic cross. _

"_Well boys. I have a surprise for you. I'd like you both to meet my son, Merck. He's going to be the one overseeing your session. Think of it as his initiation." Remus drawled like a sadistic proud parent, his claw like hands painfully grasping the shoulders of a boy about the same age as Josh and Zion themselves. _

_Zion glanced at the boy who had a coldness to his eyes that was born from preaching and not experience. He didn't know what it truly meant to be the monster his father was. His smirk was cruel but too much so, not like his father's dreamy content smile that somehow made everything he did just that much worse._

"_If you make him do this, I will kill him." Zion said quietly, his eyes staring directly at Remus. _

"_Scared of a mere child Sayian runt?" Remus asked with his first hint of emotion, amusement._

"_No. I just feel a little irritable today." Zion replied indifferently._

_In reality he felt disrespected. A child was no expert. They almost always went too far in the misguided haste to please their mentors. Also, he felt he deserved higher than a fucking child with no experience. He hadn't broken yet so what difference sis they expect a child to make? Perhaps it was the unpredictability of a child. A tiny part of him also felt that by killing the kid, he was setting him free in a way he himself wanted. It was a very small part. He planned to make good on his promise._

"_Too bad runt. Merck has been just dying to meet you. He's heard so much about you. Don't let his age fool you into thinking him inexperienced. He's a good study." Remus assured the Sayian like a snake assured his prey all was well even if it were not true._

_Merck moved then, towards Zion while Remus moved to Josh. Merck was watching him with a glazed excitement. Innocent was not what Zion would've used to describe him. Bad breeding perhaps. His power level wasn't even high enough to cause a worry, more like a laugh. Then again, to Zion anyone's power level was a laugh. Merck moved behind Zion, to where he couldn't be seen and Zion heard the tell-tale signs of clinking metal. _

_A sharp tip was caressed over the exposed skin on his back before it stopped at the joint by his shoulder. The breath whooshed from his lungs when the tip was plunged right through his shoulder only to poke out the other side._

"_Starting out a bit ambitiously aren't we?" Zion managed to choke out._

"_Not at all Sayian. This strategy was designed just for you." Merck breathed just behind him._

_The blood running down his chest was bothersome as it tickled the never ending. He wanted to just whip it away but was unable to do so._

"_I'm a fucking Guardian, idiot, when will you morons get it right." Zion snarled just as another metal spike was shoved into his other shoulder._

"_So I see my father was right when he spoke of your delusions." Merck muttered more to himself really._

"_Delusions? Oh that's it, now I'm definitely going to kill you!" Zion snarled._

_He had to clap his teeth together however when the clamps holding him to the cross were suddenly no longer there. His body fell forwards and jerked down, tearing into the flesh where the pikes were shoved into his shoulders. The breath left his lungs and stayed gone far longer than he wanted to admit. _

_Zion panted as soon as he was able, staring daggers at Merck. Although he had wanted to ignore it, Josh's own slightly pained and panting breaths filled the room. Zion chanced a glance at him and caught only red before he was forced to turn his attention back to Merck. _

_Merck held a scalpel in his hand, eyeing it thoughtfully. Zion growled low in his throat, already seeing the flaw in this design. Was the kid trying to die? Merck looked up then and Zion saw it, the suffering he was trying to hide. The growl choked off and his eyes deadpanned. Yes, the kid was trying to die. Not bad breeding then, bad luck. _

_A hiss from Josh made Zion wince before he could stop himself. All at once the sounds behind him, where Josh was, were too loud. Merck watched him, taking notes no doubt but not voice something that he alone had seen, the utter look of torture on Zion's face that had been there for mere milliseconds too long. Why? He knew exactly how to effectively torture Zion now. What was worse though, seeing it and being able to do nothing about it, or not seeing it and still being able to do nothing about it? A choked off barked growl made Zion jump, his shoulders searing and Merck moved then. _

_His hand moved in a blur, the scalpel slashing across Zion's face. Amateur. Cutting was no fun unless you knew how to do it right. Usually that resulted in death. Ignoring the pain this caused his shoulder Zion lifted his arm and grabbed onto Merck's jaw, forcing him to look straight into his eyes._

"_Do you really want what your eyes say you do, boy?" Zion asked completely devoid of any emotions, "Because right this instant it's achievable." _

_Blood cover his face, quickly running down his chest as it poured from the three wounds that the boy had made. _

"_Yes." Merck whispered too lowly to be heard, but rather seen._

_Then just as suddenly, the suffering was once again masked and Zion's arm was shredded. The sound of the wet thick liquid hitting the ground was loud and far too much for comfort. Somehow the boy had missed the artery, barely. Zion's fist was clenched as the blood flowed freely, at this rate the idiot would make him bleed out before the fun had even begun. Merck looked at him with pure insanity and Zion knew that he wouldn't get another honest moment with him again. Merck grasped his injured wrist and yanked it up to the light. Right now the blood was slowing slightly because it was above his heart, sort of but it was still flowing pretty badly. _

_Merck had surprisingly long thin fingers. Zion jerked and yelped silently when those accursed fingers dug into the wound seeking something out. Zion's breathing speed when Merck grasped something and tugged. Fuck. This kid was a fast study. He pulled the tendon gleefully, watching the sweat break out on Zion's forehead. Fire raced in waves though his arm and he wanted nothing more than to just lash out, but he couldn't, not yet._

"_Having fun Kid?" Zion spat out through clenched teeth._

"_Immensely." Merck hmmmed in a preoccupied way as he tested how far he could stretch the tendon much to Zion's rage._

"_I've heard that no one has ever gone lower than here." Merck stated letting the tendon snap back into place, causing Zion to grunt before placing his bloody fingers on the top of Zion's pants. _

_Zion dared not make a single noise. He didn't even allow a single muscle to twitch. He would endure this as long as he had to, but the minute Josh was out, the boy was dead. How long would Josh last? _

"_I wonder, why is that?" Merck continued, "Oh I know, it's because all the old farts here are homophobic. Pretty funny if you think about it." _

_Zion's jaw clenched when Merck's hand got slightly lower. Was this kid like his father, a strict homophobe, or was it that he had seen a torturing opportunity where his predecessors had not. Could he handle this one? He'd never been in the situation where he had to. He could give these asses that much at least. _

"_You won't get the satisfaction of getting a rise out me kid. I don't swing your way." Zion said with a smirk._

"_Sometimes the body just can't help it." Merck hissed._

"_Yeah well, I doubt it." Zion said casually. _

_For his arrogance he was rewarded with a quick thrust to the abdomen with the scalpel. Merck left it there, knowing that Zion's panting would make it uncomfortable to bear. His fingers moved to another area on Zion's body that had been left alone largely due to Zion's tendency to manage to somehow kill anyone that touched it. _

"_I had no idea Sayian tails were so soft." Merck breathed in fascination as he delicately handled the furry appendage. _

_Josh burst out laughing suddenly. His voice was laced with pain and a hint of hysteria._

"_You have one hell of a death wish Merck." Josh gasped out._

"_Now one asked you." Remus spat harshly, a crunching sound following soon after._

"_Oh no, please, do continue." Merck said cheerfully._

"_See I know that Sayian better than you ever will. I was raised to defeat him. Circumstances have thrown us into a situation where that is no longer possible nor desirable but still the knowledge is there. Right now he has already killed you a million times in a million different ways in his head. He's only here because it's convenient for him to be. The second that is no longer true, he will leave" Josh explained sounding slightly breathless._

"_Correct me if I'm wrong, but did he not fail to escape just the other night." Merck asked in amusement._

"_I have two theories about that and they're probably both correct. One, he wants me to see exactly how bad this place is since I won't understand otherwise and two he saw something that he did not expect, his mother perhaps." Josh explained once more, "But that's just theories."_

_Zion snapped at that last statement, his patience was officially gone. He reached up and grabbed onto the cables holding him in place. He swung his legs up and wrapped them around Merck's neck._

"_You should've kept me on the cross. I am after all a Sayian and pain means nothing to me." Zion said before he twisted his legs, snapping the boy's neck before his father had even registered what was happening. _

_The floor underneath Zion was opened and orders from Remus were shouted in a bloodlust rage. Well Zion couldn't help but feel that he had told the idiot so. Didn't he say that he would kill the boy? Several times. _

_The cables he was holding onto dropped and his body was plunged into an icy bath. He gasped, not at all enjoying the cold seeping into his body. As a Sayian this was more painful than it needed to be. All around him panic ensued as they tried to get Merck's body out the room and see if his life could be saved. No it couldn't. They already knew it, but had been ordered to try something, anything. There was nothing to try. _

_Josh unfortunately took the brunt of Remus' anger as he just plain out brutally beat the kid. Better than his composed thought out torturing, that was for sure. One of the other originals had to step in at the point. He forced Remus from the room, sending a withering glare at the shivering Sayian. Honestly, why did they insist upon expecting anything less from him? He wasn't about to change his ways. He had always been brutally honest with them and now when he promised something nasty just like they did they suddenly had a problem with it. Talk about hypocrisy. _

_The doors were locked shut and the two were the only ones left. Josh groaned and spat something, blood most likely, at the floor. Zion forced his frozen nerves to respond and move his body out of the ice. It stung like a bitch making moving difficult but he had to get out of the ice. He was then forced to reach behind himself and pull the spikes from his shoulders. When the scalpel was removed blood gushed out, more slowly than it normally would've due to the ice but it still leaked out and onto his body, mixing in and streaming his skin._

_He looked back at the bath that was now red with his blood and snarled with disgust. Zion then pulled himself up and forced his legs to move to the control panel and release the clamps holding Josh down. He couldn't move fast enough to catch the boy and he ended up falling on the ground with a painful thud._

_Zion collapsed down next to him, dragging Josh closer to him so that he could get a better look at him. After a quick survey Zion concluded that Josh would survive. He then allowed the other being to rest on his chest, no longer caring if the others found out about his attachment. He nuzzled Josh's neck, breathing in the scent of blood and just purely Josh. He'd be lying if he said he loved the boy and he'd be lying if he said he did not care. _

"_Are you ohkay?" Zion breathed in the Taegeite's ear._

"_I don't imagine you've lost control like that before." Josh replied quietly. _

"_No. I haven't." Zion replied leaning away._

"_How long will they leave us here?" _

"_As long as it takes for them to figure out what to do with us." Zion smirked._

* * *

><p><em>Days possibly weeks later Zion lay stretched out on the ground at Josh's request. They were back in their cell and had been for a long while. It seemed to Josh that when all else failed that is what became of them. Would they eventually be forgotten in there? <em>

"_And what's this one for?" Josh asked tracing another scar. _

"_I believe that one was from a metallic whip that had a nasty bite to it, electrocuting as well if I recall correctly." Zion mused, resting his chin on his hands as he lay on his stomach._

"_And this one?" Josh swallowed, tracing a particularly bumpy one._

"_Slammed against some sort of rough surface and dragged across." Zion breathed, enjoying Josh's light caresses. _

"_What of this one?" _

"_Branding irons."_

"_This one is deeper?"_

"_Skin removal to the bone."_

"_What about your fingernails?"_

"_What of them?"_

"_They seem ohkay but these guys don't seem like the type to just leave those out." Josh explained._

"_Correct. Removed and regrown several times." _

"_Uh, so what's this one from?" _

"_Broken rib that broke through." _

_The conversation went on for hours and ended with Zion pinning Josh to the floor and kissing him. Josh did not fight him and so the kiss led to their first sexual interaction where Josh's energy did not play a part. This time Josh was at the bottom, much to Zion's glee._

_Of course the silence would not last. Punishment would come but it was hard to punish that which had nothing to lose, nor any desire to live, indifferent to their fate as they were. All they really had were each other and that was their only mistake. _

_The originals came, tried to break them once more and yet again failed. They were thrust from one situation to the next, each one a struggle to survive, a pain filled extremity that never seemed to end. All the other soldiers and prisoners knew of their relationship and their combined sadistic power. They knew not to mock or mess with it since it usually earned them a one way ticked to snake way. Zion protected Josh as much as he could, taking a lot of punishment , beating himself up when he couldn't take the fall for the other boy. Escape attempts never worked. They always made some mistake, and not just Zion was the culprit. _

_. . . . . Yet somehow, through it all they managed to stay together._

* * *

><p>"<em>Miss me?" Remus asked coldly from the door.<em>

"_No." Zion replied in a bored tone. _

_They had not seen him since Zion had killed his son and it had suited the pair just fine. Zion huffed and continued to run his fingers through Josh's hair since the Taegeite was lounged in his lap._

"_It has been decided. You have a choice, give in to us, serve us and we will let you live. Deny us and you will die." Remus said with a sneer of disgust at their position. _

"_Deny." Zion drawled._

"_Not in a million years." Josh agreed lounging in the Sayian's arms even more._

_Remus looked like he was fuming so Zion smirked and leaned around Josh so that he could kiss him. Josh made sure to moan extra loudly, enjoying the choked outrage it caused in Remus. _

"_Last chance you insolent brats." Remus choked out._

"_Nope." The two stated together._

"_Very well. I'd been hoping you'd say that." Remus said with a delirious smirk before activating the collars around their necks._

_Everything went dark, plunging the two into a world of confusion. _

_When Zion woke up again he was stripped of his clothing apart from his pants and was kneeling in the sand. Sand? That meant that they were outside. Zion took a deep breath, relishing in the fresh sweet air. His arms were clamped in chains which were clamped to the floor and Zion tested them. Breaking them would be hard, if not impossible._

_He glanced around for Josh and spotted him, tied and undressed much the same as he was only a few feet away. Josh looked up at him, his eyes terrified. Terrified? Why? _

_Josh's eyes flickered to something behind Zion and Zion could only assume that Josh knew what was going to happen, had woken much earlier than Zion had. What would make Josh so terrified?_

"_Be strong." Zion whispered in the other's mind._

"_They're going to kill you, believing you to be the influence and let me live." Josh whispered back frantically. _

"_Well should they succeed, promise me that you'll find a way to get out of here." Zion joked._

"_Not the time Zion, they're serious." Josh whined desperately, a single tear silently slipping down his cheek._

"_I didn't know you cared for me kid." Zion said with a smirk._

"_Be serious Zion and get us out of this." Josh scolded, "Where are all those fucking powers you brag so much about?" _

"_Hold on. I have an idea but I need a few minutes." Zion replied._

_The problem was Planet Vegeta. He either needed to let it go or find another way of sustaining it. Fuck! There was a ton of excess energy surrounding the place. He could use that while he got them out of there and just revert back to sustaining it after they were well and truly hidden. He closed his eyes and started to think of the method he would need to use, a rather complicated one that could not have any mistakes in it, no matter what._

_A boot slammed into his back and forced him down. Zion growled as his concentration was broken._

"_Guess what idiot, I lied." Remus stated manically, looking directly at Josh before a can of liquid was dumped onto Josh's exposed back. A single spark of Ki was ignited and Zion choked back his scream of despair. _

"_NOOO! I'm not ready yet." Zion screamed before he could stop himself as Josh's body was engulfed in bright flames. _

_Zion began to frantically pull at his bindings, unable to concentrate on his earlier plans as he watched his only reason for wanting to live at all burn right before his eyes._

_His scream of frustration was hidden in Josh's screams of pains. Tears streamed down his face as he yanked with all his might, trying to get to the other. _

"_Stop! I'll do it! STOP!" Zion screamed, throwing himself forward but being yanked back by the limiting chains._

"_Do we have your word?" Remus asked smugly and slowly, all the while Josh burned._

"_Yes. Yes! Just let me have him. ALIVE!" Zion yelled, quickly specifying. _

"_Too bad, my son really would've wanted to be here to hear those words." Remus sighed. _

_Josh wasn't screaming so much anymore but Zion was still trying to desperately reach him. _

"_JOSH! LOOK AT ME!" Zion tried to yell, thick tears streaming down his face as he was helpless, useless. _

_Josh was curled in on himself now, a moaning whimpering mess. The smoke that rose from his body was thick, choking and acrid. Zion squeezed his eyes shut but forced them open again. He had to witness this. _

"_I'm sorry Josh. I'm so so sorry. So so sorry . . ." Zion chanted over and over as he watched Josh take his last wheezy pain filled breath. As he watched the body burn to ash, the smoke choking the air from his lungs. Not once did he blink or look away, committing the scene to memory while a new reason to live bloomed to life in his heart. Revenge. _


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The scream pierced the air like nothing else on that planet had. Through the murky dense air that had muffled everything else thus far, Solara's pain rang clear and true.

Trunks didn't know what to do. He looked from Solara to Zion. He saw Solara's pain reflected in Zion's eyes and he couldn't help but wonder what had happened.

Solara suddenly stopped screaming and the silence that followed was eerie. She slowly turned to Zion, walking to him in a distant manner, seeing something only she could see.

SMACK!

Zion's head whipped to the side as Solara's fist collided with his cheek. He didn't make a move to correct the position, but rather stayed where he was.

"You could've helped him!" she hissed.

Zion was silent, his face blank. He did not look at her, but rather strangely enough, Trunks.

"No." Zion whispered, "I could not have."

Solara made a choking noise, as if the very word were a blow to her gut.

"They were weak! Nothing. You could've snapped them like twigs." Solara replied as though it were her saving grace.

Zion sighed, like his patience was running thin.

"No. There is a reason we were held captive in the first place. They rendered our Ki useless. Even your brother's."

Solara looked at him like he had completely lost his mind, "Ki isn't everything Zion!" she hissed.

Zion smirked before walking closer to her and placing his hand on her neck. Something started to happen and Trunks wasn't sure what but he knew that it wasn't going to be fun.

"Let me go you jerk." Solara growled struggling in his surprisingly gentle grasp.

"So very creative." Zion replied sarcastically.

He did drop his hand though but something remained behind. Zion had created a collar much like the one Trunks had removed from his neck. Solara hadn't noticed yet. Her first reaction was to get mad.

She dashed forwards, intent on punching Zion, aiming for his face. He didn't even bother to move from where he was, didn't even bother to raise a hand to block

Solara cried out it surprise before she screamed in pain and fell to her knees. She curled into a ball, gasping for large gulps of air, clenching her eyes shut tightly. Zion crouched down next to her, his face blank.

"You and your brother are the same, no?" he asked.

She didn't answer and he continued. "And your brother was to be my equal. So much power. I could've helped him you say. Well just look at you."

"Stop it Zion." Trunks breathed not able to look away from the tortured expression on Solara's face, but not wanting to see it either.

Zion ignored him as though he hadn't spoken at all. He continued to study Solara's writhing form with detached curiosity.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Zion advised tonelessly seeing something only he could see.

Solara screamed out just as her figure flickered very briefly to the energy being she had been mere hours before.

"Told you so. These things are designed and specified for your race's individual characteristics. They didn't know what I was really, other than Sayian so they threw in a bit of everything. They almost hindered the energy I needed to simply breath but were thoughtful enough to let me keep it." Zion said in the blandest tone that Trunks had ever heard.

"Zion! You have to stop it." Trunks screamed out, his voice cracking on the high note of his desperation. Zion looked at him then, his eyes as blank as his face.

"No, I think I'll leave her there till the effects have run its course. Then she will truly understand."

Trunks gapped at his brother. There was nothing he could do to change Zion's mind. He wished for the thousandth time that evening to know what Zion had shown to Solara.

Trunks was shocked when Zion picked Solara up and started to walk.

Trunks glanced at the four other beings that were with Solara but they had the same expression on their faces as he probably did, useless and angrily knowing so. What only made things worse were Solara's soft whimpers of pain and fear.

Trunks clenched his jaw and looked away, focusing instead on where they were going. The terrain was vastly different here on the ground and the air was starting to make him dizzy. Actually if he was honest with himself, he'd say that he'd been dizzy for a while now. No, not dizzy then, it was making him want to throw up and that was saying something for a Sayian.

The door to their ship opened with a hiss. It had been standing not far from them for a while now yet no one had even felt the need to go to it. Did Solara even have a ship? She should. Then again maybe they flew through space like comets for all Trunks knew.

Trunks hurried ahead. He wanted to make sure Tarble was alright. They had left the Sayian alone for far too long and his heart squeezed with the guilt. He'd have to start paying more attention to the Sayian. After all he was family and he was a Sayian.

He groaned inwardly when he immediately noted upon entering that the ship was once again different. Was there no limit to Zion's power? It also meant that the others were going to be accompanying them. Trunks wasn't sure he liked that idea. He didn't even know what they were, never mind if he liked them or not.

Tarble was in his room, well one of the rooms in the ship. He wasn't doing anything. He was simply sitting down and staring off, his mind further away than Earth.

"Tarble?" Trunks uttered softly so as not to startle the other Sayian.

Tarble looked up at him and blinked, the dazed look in his eyes vanishing to be replaced with a sparkling awareness. He shifted his position before looking down at his boots.

"Have you eaten anything lately?" Trunks asked, think that it was the best approach for now as it was both caring and a mutual interest.

"No." Tarble sighed.

Trunks looked at him silently for a minute. Tarble's tone sounded a lot like, yeah I'm hungry but I'm not planning on doing anything about it any time soon.

"Would you like me to bring you something to eat?" Trunks offered with a raised brow already suspecting what the answer would be.

Tarble shook his head, his thin shoulders slumping. Tarble was supposed to be the oldest being on this ship yet he looked no older than a teenager. In fact Trunks was the oldest looking Sayian on the ship yet he was supposed to be the youngest. How was that fair?

Trunks hovered in the doorway, uncertain whether he should just bring the Sayian some food or let the matter drop as he wanted. He decided that respecting what Tarble wanted was, while it wasn't what Tarble in fact needed it was the best approach for now. He turned to leave but Tarble's voice stopped him.

"Wait" His voice was a whisper, almost like he hadn't wanted to say it, "It's just that I'm not used to having that opportunity and I don't feel right just eating whatever and whenever I want."

Trunks looked at him carefully, noting the shaking pale form that looked as though it would break apart at any moment. He sighed heavily before walking further into the room and sitting down on the edge of Tarble's bed.

"Until very recently my entire life was lived running away from the things that had killed my father. I wasn't strong enough to kill them but I knew that as a Sayian I would eventually get stronger, strong enough to kill them." Trunks started looking at the wall so that he didn't have to see Tarble's large eyes shining with interest.

"Every time a city was attacked my mom would immediately move us to the town furthest away. While she kept me safe, I had to live with the knowledge that others were dying and I was doing nothing to help them. One day just wasn't coming fast enough." Trunks said in a very quiet voice.

He'd never told anyone this. While his life might have been roses compared to Tarble's at least he could show the older Sayian that he understood partially. He could relate to his pain.

"At the time they seemed so unbeatable. Completely out of my reach in power and skill. Two beings that were made in a lab. They weren't even real. It was insulting. Even after I had ascended to the level of super Sayian I wasn't enough. I knew I wouldn't be since my trainer and mentor had been a super Sayian. His death is actually what allowed me to make the transformation. Still it was progress, a level I did not previously have."

Tarble was looking at him with silent wonder.

"You are a super Sayian?" he whispered.

"Yeah. It's actually really easy once you get the hang of it." Trunks replied with a small smile.

"Anyways, it took me a long time and I had to do a lot of things to gain the power I needed to kill the Androids. It's silly now when I think of how weak they were in comparison to others I have fought since. How could they have so easily defeated my father and all the other warrior of my home planet? I used to believe that had we had the help of another Sayian named Goku, or Kakarot if you prefer his Sayian name, then we would've been fine." Trunks said with that dazed look in his eyes that Tarble had had only moments before.

". . . . . but now I'm not so sure. My father's primary goal in life, the one that took preference above all others was to survive. He would not have allowed himself to simply die at the hands of a machine. His pride would not have allowed it unless he had simply not had enough power. So if he was defeated, who's to say that Goku would've made that much difference?" Trunks said in frustration, his hands fisting and his power flickering slightly.

Trunks glanced at Tarble then, saw the attention he was receiving from the other Sayian and smiled briefly.

"Well anyways, enough about me. No need to dull an already weird situation." Trunks said with a bigger smile.

Tarble nodded hesitantly before getting off the bed and heading towards the door. Trunks sprang to his feet and hurried to catch up to the Sayian.

At least he was eating now. That was a good start. As they ate Trunks told him about Earth and how beautiful it was before the androids had ruined everything. It was still beautiful, only not in as many places as before. He told him about the fighters that used to live on earth and how brave they were, how they fought even fought they were so much weaker than their opponents. He told him the stories his mother had told him about Goku, leaving out the part about the dragon balls. Tarble nodded and commented when appropriate but Trunks could tell that the other Sayian wasn't quite sure what to do so had simply fallen on long unused courtesies.

"Those are interesting stories boy." A smooth cold voice said from the doorway.

Trunks turned in his chair to see one of the beings that had come with Solara. His hair was an eccentric shade of orange and his face was completely blank. Those were the first features that stood out in him.

"Uhm . . . thanks?" Trunks replied, not really sure what was meant by the comment.

He was gazed at for a moment longer before the being turned and left. Those lot were strange. How was he going to explain it to his mother? Trunks shook his head and turned back to his food.

Trunks didn't even sense the energy coming before he was suddenly raked with pain. He registered faintly that his was flying through the air before landing with a bone jarring thud on the floor once more. His nerve endings were on fire with a pain he had never thought possible. He wasn't even sure he was breathing as his body screamed its agony. Was he screaming too? It was everywhere, it was all consuming. Was this was death felt like?

A loud snarl ripped through the air followed by a shout of interrupted anger. The pain subsided greatly but did not leave entirely. Trunks was gasping for air as his body shivered and convulsed. Try as he might he just couldn't control it.

The sound of flesh on flesh forced him to find the source. He tried to get up but his body wouldn't respond. He managed only to move his head to the side so that he could see the blurry sight of a frantic Tarble and a ferocious Zion. The snarling demi Sayian was crouched in front of Trunks' fallen form, his upper lip curled upwards baring his teeth as his chest rumbled with his growl.

"You find it wrong that I attack your brother, yet you persist in harming my own loved ones and I'm not allowed to find this wrong." The eccentric blur of orange spat out in a rage that rivalled Zion's own.

"You will not touch my brother, understand! No matter what the consequences or circumstances are." Zion said in the deadliest tone Trunks had ever heard him use.

The other Taegeite opened his mouth to respond but Zion cut him off before he could even utter a syllable, "UNDERDSTAND?" he yelled making a now silent Tarble jump.

The Taegeite just scowled and stormed from the room. Zion turned to Trunks. His body was still jerking slightly as the effects wore off. His eyes were on Zion the entire time. Zion sighed before crouching down and picking the younger Sayian up.

"_You see little one, I am here_." he whispered in the language of his mother's people.

Zion then forced Trunks' mind to sleep. As he passed Tarble he stopped and told him in a quiet command to follow. Tarble did without question. Zion then led them to their room, which they would from now on be sharing. Two beds had already made themselves present in the room.

Zion was seething with rage, that was easy enough to identify. However what was this other feeling that was tightening his chest and constricting his throat. Had he fallen so far? Trunks was starting to affect him emotionally. Was he ohkay with this?

He looked down at the blank expression of peace that only sleep could provide. Trunks was his brother, his last connection in a world of deceit and anguish. He was never going to escape his past but perhaps he could move past it. Trunks was the very best example of a being that had been through hell yet still smiled each day.

Zion sighed and closed his eyes, quickly removing the pained expression from his features. He was a Sayian, he was a fighter. A warrior or the highest calibre. Warriors did not have attachments.

* * *

><p>Trunks rolled in his bed as sunlight hit his face. He mumbled something unintelligible before starting to snore again.<p>

"Oh is that how we greet our mother?" a familiar voice sighed in mock questioning hurt.

Trunks bolted up right before turning to his mother. She smiled and winked. Trunks shouted in surprised happiness before running to her and wrapping his arms around her. He held her as tightly as he dared.

"I missed you sooo much." he said with as much compassion as he could.

He couldn't believe they were home already. The trip had gone a lot faster back than going there. He suspected Zion had something to do with it but he wasn't going to push the issue.

"How long have we been back?" Trunks asked pulling away.

"About a day or so. Zion said to leave you to sleep. Said you needed it." Bulma replied before adding in a quieter tone, "Those are some interesting friends you bought with you."

"Zion's friends. Need I say more?" Trunks replied with a raised eyebrow.

"No I guess not." Bulma laughed, "I'll leave you to get dress and brush your teeth. Meet me in the kitchen. I saved you breakfast."

Trunks nodded and smiled back before heading for the bathroom and Bulma headed to the door. Trunks showered and brushed his teeth before walking into his room with just a towel wrapped around his waist as he had forgotten to get that day's clothes ready.

He was taken by surprise was an arm wrapped around his waist and yanked him backwards. He was familiar with Zion's heat now, the feel of his body, the contours of his muscles. He didn't fight him, only relaxed into his hold since he knew that fighting would get him nowhere anyways.

"Glad to see that you're finally awake." Zion breathed in his ear before nipping his neck.

"I thought we weren't playing this game anymore." Trunks replied with a hitch in his breathing when Zion bit down.

Zion's hot's tongue soothed the sting, but the demi Sayian himself said nothing. Instead he spun Trunks around and tipped his head back before lowering his head.

He stopped a mere breath away from Trunks' lips, smirking at him. Trunks found his heart racing in expectation despite never having given it permission to do so. He let loose the breath he had been holding and just like that Zion's lips were pressing against his own, battling with his own. With a snarl of pure desire Trunks shoved Zion back and against the wall. The impact jarred them apart long enough to get some air.

"I didn't know you felt that way about me Trunks." Zion said while breathing heavily.

Trunks answered by resuming the heated kiss. His eyes were burning with determination. The expression on his face was completely different from anything he'd ever had before. For a moment Zion actually considered hurting him. Instead he pushed Trunks away, held him at arm's length.

"Not that I'm complaining but what the hell has gotten into you?" Zion asked.

"I'm hurt that you would even see the difference and recognise me for who I really am." Trunks pouted.

Zion's confusion grew tenfold but he did not allow it to show. He instinctively studied Trunks' Ki and found to his horror that it had been corrupted. It was no longer purely Trunks but tainted with the essence of another. Sadly and strangely happily enough he knew who that person was.

"What are you doing here Josh?" Zion asked tonelessly.

"I came to see you." Trunks/Josh mocked.

Zion grit his teeth and snarled at the other.

"Don't play games with me. I'll pull you out of there so fast your sister's head will spin." Zion warned.

"Oh, feel the love. Have you moved on already? After what I did for you." Trunks/Josh asked, only this time he was serious.

"How could I forget? You were everything to me, but now you're messing with my brother and I don't like that, especially from a dead guy." Zion replied waving a hand impatiently.

"Ouch, touché my one and only lover mine." Trunks/Josh purred before adding with a happy smile, "Kiss me."

Zion narrowed his eyes as he studied the situation before him. While he really wanted to kiss Josh, he didn't want to kiss Trunks. Oh well he could live with either.

"First, tell me how you are here." Zion eventually said with a smirk.

"I made a deal with Yemma, happy?" Trunks/Josh said really fast and with a childish pout.

"Why?" Zion replied trying to stifle the laugh he could feel coming.

"I wanted to talk to my sister and wanted to deck you for what you did to her, but when I saw you, felt you touching him like that. . . . I freaked out and took over before I was supposed to." Trunks/Josh said in frustrated anger.

Zion sighed before pulling the possessed Sayian into a tight embrace. "It will always be you, Josh." He whispered against the lavender hair.

No reply was needed as Zion delivered on his promised kiss. Zion dominated over the weaker body so thoroughly that it was as though Josh wasn't even fighting. Zion's chest rumbled with the silent laugh as he felt the other's irritation at this fact and only deepened the kiss more.

"Oh my god!"

The two jumped and turned to the door to see Solara looking utterly traumatised. Her mouth flopped open and closed for a moment before she spun around to run away but Josh was quicker. He phased away from Zion and stood in Solara's way. He then grabbed her arm and dragged her forcibly into the room, slamming the door closed when he could.

"Nice. I'm sure she'll be open to anything you have to say now." Zion noted drily.

"Shut it, Guardian. This is family business." Trunks/Josh snarled.

Solara kind of froze at that. Her struggling stopped and she looked at Josh like he was nuts.

"What's going on?" she managed to ask in a calm voice.

"Hi sis."

Zion smirked when he saw Solara's eye twitch. Oh yeah this was going to be interesting.

"Josh? But how?" Solara asked going pale.

"This planet seems to have some weird connections with the Gods of the otherworld." Trunks/Josh replied sheepishly.

Zion got the sudden urge to leave the room. He wasn't supposed to witness this anyways. It was a private moment for them, and only them to share.

"Hold on Josh, will Trunks remember this?" Zion asked interrupting the other.

"No. He'll just think his mind drifted off so I have to keep this quick. It might help to be in the same position as you were in before I took over." Trunks/Josh replied after a moment of consideration.

"Fine. I'll wait outside. Call me when you're done." Zion said before exiting the room and entering his own, but leaving the door open so that he would be seen.

Solara came out fifteen minutes later and told Zion that Josh was waiting for him. She looked both happy and sad. Zion knew how she felt, since he was feeling the same. Don't worry, Solara, I'll get him back.

He braced himself mentally and emotionally. He was getting in too deep already. He sighed before entering the room once more.

He then walked to Josh who had his back to him. He wrapped his arms around the body of his brother, as he had been holding him before and waited for Josh to say something.

"Find someone else Zion. Pining over me will get you nowhere."

Zion could already feel Josh leaving Trunks' body. He smirked before whispering, "I'll see you soon."

Josh was too far gone to say anything back. Trunks was now fully himself and gathering his thoughts.

"So Zion, where to now?" Trunks asked pulling out of his brother's embrace.

"Planet Vegeta."


	15. Chapter 15

**Final chapter! Yayness! Thank you to all those that read this. XD **

Chapter 15.

Turned out that Solara and the other Taegeites, as they were called, really could shoot through space like comets. Trunks had been forced to endure hours upon hours of complaints that were directly related to the speed or lack thereof that it had taken them to reach Planet Earth. At the current moment they were STILL complaining and it had been a week.

"That's it, shut the hell up. I don't care if our ship is slower than my thinking capabilities or my fighting or even my Planet's evolutionary progress. We're off the damn thing so get over it!" Trunks snapped after a particularity long session of complaints.

All five of them gave him the creepiest blank stare before looking away as though he were no more interesting than a dust mite. He grit his teeth and flew out the window.

He had been spending more and more time with Tarble, slowing gaining the other Sayian's trust and friendship. It was slow going but he was making progress.

The only reason they had not yet left was because Bulma was making preparations for Capsule Corp. in her absence. He bitterly reminded himself that Zion was up to something too. Trunks loathed to think of all the time he'd be forced to spend with the Taegeites. It wasn't that they were evil or even that they were terrible beings, they were just so different from anything that he'd ever encountered before, even from Zion. Zion at least made an effort to some extent but they didn't see the point in trying, choosing instead to drive them all nuts.

He found Tarble where he thought the other Sayian might be. He was fond of large open field with long soft grass. All he did was sit in the very centre, half conscious of the world around him. Sometimes he was even aware of where he was.

Trunks believed that the Sayian was going through a period of shock, trying to adjust to the suddenly peaceful life he now had. Did he think of the others that they had left behind, or only the one he had come to love and had been forced to watch die due to his own actions?

Trunks landed quietly, not closer to an answer today than what he had been yesterday, or the day before.

Today Tarble was lying down, his arms and legs spread wide as his soaked in the warmth the sun provided. Trunks smiled and lay down next to him, letting out a sigh of content relief.

"Taegeites?" Tarble asked.

"Yeah."

"Hmmmmm, I remember hearing stories about them. They were supposed to be a really advanced race of beings that were destroyed by Frieza and Cooler. I suppose we could never hope to understand them." Tarble stated distantly.

"Perhaps Zion does. After all he was supposed to kill one of them." Trunks mused.

"Who cares? I sense that soon they will leave."

Trunks opened his eyes and squinted against the bright sunlight before turning his head to see Tarble, his features both blank and serious.

"We will be leaving soon as well."

"Where will we be going?" Tarble asked, his expression remaining the same.

"Planet Vegeta."

"I heard it was destroyed." Tarble breathed.

"It was made to appear that way apparently."

Tarble didn't reply and trunks didn't expect him too. For the most part, Tarble didn't actual say anything at all unless it was necessary in his opinion. When he did speak it was usually bland and soft. Trunks doubted that his uncle would ever truly recover. Still their friendship was a start.

* * *

><p>"Come on let's go already!" Zion yelled impatiently as he waited for Bulma to get whatever the third last minute thing she'd wanted was.<p>

"I'm coming." she yelled back.

Zion scowled and crossed his arms over his chest impatiently.

"Good God, you look just like your father." Bulma breathed in wonder, standing in the doorway.

Zion only growled his displeasure before walking out the door. Outside stood the spaceship from before. Trunks really didn't want to get back on that thing. After all that was the space ship where he'd been both attacked and fucked in. He forced his mind away from the second one. He still didn't regret it but that didn't mean the memories were any easier to let go of.

Trunks mentally cringed as he passed the Taegeites. He hadn't forgotten the pain just a single one of them had caused without even touching him. Why was Zion forcing them to come along, and technically he was. He controlled Solara to some extent and that in turn controlled the other four.

His footsteps grew louder as the ground he was walking on changed from grass to metal. Tarble looked away from the window but relaxed when he saw that it was Trunks. His mouth tilted downwards ever so slightly, the only warning Trunks got before he was bombarded from behind but a storming Zion.

Man that guy was in a bad mood today. Wonder what his problem is? Bulma came over to him them and hugged him close.

"I'm actually kind of excited." She said happily, "I haven't been on such an amazing adventure since Namek and that was forever ago."

"Yeah and then I was born and androids took over the world." Trunks replied blandly.

"Hay! I wouldn't trade you for the world mister, believe it." Bulma scolded before smiling and kissing his cheek, "If there's one thing I'm grateful for it's Vegeta's decision to send Radditz to Earth. Without that you wouldn't have even been a possibility."

"Yeah and without that, you'd never have met Frieza and all the trouble that followed." Trunks teased.

"Oh yeah, and without Frieza Goku never would have made it to Super Sayian, your father would never have been motivated to defeat Goku in battle and therefore stay on Earth and you never would have been born and the Earth would be destroyed."

"Alright, alright I give in. You're way too smart for me." Trunks laughed.

Through their playful banter the others had gotten on the ship and the door had closed. Trunks went to the control room to see Zion starting the launch sequence.

"Want to talk about it?" Trunks asked as he plopped down onto a chair.

"I have no idea as to what you are talking about." Zion snapped.

"Give me a little credit would you. I think I know you well enough by now to know when you're pissed." Trunks sighed, somewhat hurt by Zion's lack of trust.

Zion was silent, considering maybe or just ignoring. Trunks could never be sure. While he waited he dug in his pocket for a gaming console he'd never gotten the chance to finish what with the androids and time traveling taking up his time, and even more recently space travel.

Zion glanced over at the device. He said nothing about the irritating noises it was making and concentrated instead on the endless map of stars that had very quickly surrounded them. Somewhere out there was the Guardians home planet. It was deserted now, lost even. He could find it if he so desired. In that place was the ability to give what couldn't be gained anywhere else. Would it be smart though?

He snatched the game from Trunks and studied the grotesquely out of proportion figured on the screen. The pixels were very large, making the figures hard to make out. How old was this thing anyways? The game made some sort of noise and the words GAME OVER flashed across the screen. Zion smirked before throwing the device back at Trunks – who mysteriously wasn't there anymore. The smirk dropped to a scowl but Zion wasn't about to go and find the idiot. He didn't have to look for him to know where he was.

Trunks chuckled as he walked down the corridor. Zion was in one weird mood today. What was new? He wanted to go and train a little. After all they were going to the Sayian planet.

Training in a space ship was nothing new to him. He'd done it with Zion after all. This time though he was training alone. Perhaps Zion would join him later.

* * *

><p>"Your brother misses you." Solara's clear voice said from the doorway.<p>

Zion's attention didn't waver from the map he was marking in red ink.

"He's training right now. I can see your style very clearly imprinted in his technique, but it's not like you to do half jobs." Solara continued.

"I have other things to do." Zion replied with finality.

"Don't tell me you're planning on leaving him. He's become dependent on your presence. In a sense you're all he has." Solara said paying no mind to his unspoken warning.

"He has his mother."

"For how long? He's half Sayian."

Zion spun around to confront Solara face to face but she wasn't there anymore. The red marker dropped from his fingers as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He had to finish what he was doing. They'd understand when he was done. He snatched the marked up again and continued making marks on the map.

Trunks came back at lunch time, his hands full of plates that he had balanced precariously. Zion glanced at him from the control panel. He had just finished the adjustments to the ship and they were now heading to a different destination. One much further away.

* * *

><p>Trunks sat looking out the window of the ship as it travelled smoothly through space. They'd been in space for a little over a month now. He'd have thought that they'd have gotten to Planet Vegeta by now.<p>

"Boy."

Trunks jumped and turned towards the voice. He was surprised to see Solara. She made a gesture for him to follow her and he stood, weary of what she might want. He followed her to the room he had taken to training in and his caution only grew. Solara gave him a curious glance before chuckling to herself. He was far to weary for his own good but she supposed that came with his past, his nature.

"I see that Zion has yet to get over his foul mood. Does he even realise that it's been a month." Solara commented, stopping in the centre of the room.

"He's like the rising and setting son when it comes to routine. He's conscious of its passing whether he wants to be or not." Trunks replied with a stiff shrug.

Solara sighed before turning to fact Trunks and giving him a tiny smile. Her posture relaxed and she sat down on the floor. "On my home world, the Taegeites had the ability to create matter from pure energy. I believe that Nameks had mastered this ability as well. Would you like to learn how?" she asked.

Trunks was stunned at the friendly offer. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting but it hadn't been that. He sat down hesitantly and waited, not sure what to do from there. Solara's smile grew at his discomfort.

Slowly she began instructing him on the process of creating something from energy. It was hard, slow going and not at all gratifying for the Sayian. The trick was imagining what you wanted, seeing it in your mind before it became something solid. He could already control Ki, greatly so since he had to be able to fight with it and that was half of it. The other half was truly seeing it in his mind's eye and that was the part he just wasn't getting. Everything he attempted to create came out grotesque and disfigured, not at resembling what he wanted.

He crushed his fourth attempt and scowled in disgust at the dust that remained in his palm. Solara's hand covered his own and he looked up at her. There was a crease of concern between her brows as she gazed at him, thoughtful. "Trunks, try not to think about it too much. Maybe this time you should let your mind wonder but this will be your last attempt for today as you are tired." Trunks nodded before closing his eyes once more, feeling the absence of Solara's hand at the same time.

He let his energy free, revelling in the sense of freedom he had. Usually he refrained from using his Ki in the spaceship and that could be quite frustrating but the purpose of the Ki he now used was not to destroy, but rather to create.

Solara watched as the bluish purple Ki spread from Trunks' palm, grew in height and slightly in width. In all his attempts she had never been sure as to what it was he had been creating. This time however a very clear figure started to form, glowing in the surreal solidity of pure energy. Just as suddenly the figure changed forming something else but nowhere near as clear as the last one.

The glow faded slowly revealing green scales and black claws. What was this thing? Was it another failed attempt? Trunks opened his eyes too and grinned. Apparently not.

"What is that?" Solara couldn't stop herself from asking.

"This is the eternal dragon. It's probably not that great since I have only see it once and it was a brief glimpse as I was waking up as it was disappearing but it's an Earth thing." Trunks replied careful with his information about the Dragon Balls and his previously dead state.

"It's good. Compared to the previous attempts." Solara praised while standing up. What she had wanted to ask but had refrained from doing so was why had he changed what he had originally wanted to create.

Trunks stood, chatting about how he was going to show it to Zion but his speech slurred as he rose and his step faltered when he tried to go to the door before he started to fall to the floor, his eyes already closed. His power had dropped drastically and Solara cursed herself for allowing that final attempt, but he had just been so close. It had been exhilarating to see the demi-Sayian progress so much in such a short space of time.

Before Trunks could hit the floor Zion was there, having appeared from nowhere. His hand gently pried the mini statue of the eternal dragon from Trunks' lax fingers while the other supported the sleeping teen. He silently handed the statue to Solara so that he could pick the boy up.

"I'm sorry Zion. I did not think that he was that close to exhaustion. I'm not used to dealing with . . . . Sayians." Solara apologised meekly. She had wanted to say weaker beings but had stopped herself, feeling that Zion just might take offense to that.

She followed behind Zion as he carried his brother to his room, his face stony. He was silent the whole way there and Solara wondered if he was mad. It was hard to tell these days.

Only when Trunks was on his bed and snoring softly with the door closed gently as Zion exited did he turn to face Solara.

She held up the statue and watched Zion's eyes flash with something that wasn't a bad thing, appreciation perhaps. "This was his fifth attempt but the figure is not what his mind and heart had started with." Solara said matter of factly.

"Fifth? Hmmmm, perhaps humans are thought to lowly of." Zion muttered completely missing or ignoring what Solara was hinting at. "His original creation was you." Solara continued anyways.

Zion sighed heavily and looked away. He pinched the bridge of his nose while processing her words and intent. "I'm not good for him Solara." He murmured eventually.

"And dragging him to a planet of ruthless Sayians is better. Abandoning him when he needs you most is the greatest thing you can do for him? Haven't you been paying attention Zion, everyone that boy has ever known has been ripped away from him. Hell even everyone he hasn't known. He feels the loss of every life he couldn't save just as surely as if he had known them all personally. Surely you can see that. He even feels the loss of the warriors that died before him, those Z fighters he speaks so often of." Solara said hotly yet hushed so as not to wake Trunks, "If you truly believe that what you are doing now is in his best interest than you are more of a fool than I originally thought."

She walked away then, leaving Zion behind as he stood unmoving by the closed door. Hopefully the stupid Sayian had gotten the point.

* * *

><p>Trunks stirred and groaned, his sleep still partially troubled. What did the Vegeta from the alternate reality think of those dreams when he had spent that year in the hyperbolic time chamber with his future son? Zion hesitated before pushing away from the now warm doorframe he had rested his forehead against.<p>

He had hoped that the dream would pass, that Trunks would sleep peacefully but it had not happened. Trunks' dreams were coming back full force and Zion couldn't help the twinge of guilt that bubbled in his chest.

The bed depressed under Zion's weight as he sat on the edge. Trunks whimpered as his dream grew worse. With a sigh Zion placed a hand on Trunks' forehead, sending out a mental blanket to sooth the harsh thoughts and immaterial fears. Trunks instantly sagged, his tense muscles loosening as his mind fell deeper into unconsciousness.

Inwardly he could sense all of Trunks' hidden fears and angers, his hates and his joys, his frustrations and his peace . . . his love. All of it was just beneath that blanket of oblivion, but Zion did not intrude, did not move further. He had no right and unlike the first time they had meet he knew better. Trunks was his brother, his family and you didn't turn you back on your family. No matter what cause they were ultimately all you had.

* * *

><p>Zion ignored the questions that were slicing through the air as the occupants of the ship yelled at him. They had finally arrived at his destination and as predicted the place was in ruins, deserted millennia before he was even a twinkle in the Gods' eyes. Yet it still held its former glory, its beauty. The whole planet felt lost in time, frozen at the moment of its abandonment.<p>

"Enough."

Solara had once again seen the necessity in a task they others had not. In another reality he could see why she would be his mate, but not in this one. She had come too late.

Tarble had not said anything either, only watching as the others argued. They argued with Zion, each other and even themselves but not it was utterly silent.

"Wait here. This planet does not have breathable air. It died a long time ago." Zion stated before using I.T. to get off the ship and onto the planet without having to open any doors.

Not a sound could be heard, nothing. They place was in deed as dead as he had thought it might be. Nothing stirred as there was no wind. There were no animals, no plants, nothing. The only thing that broke the horizon was a building made of pure blue sapphire. He supposed that to the wrong kind of people this place could be considered a source of wealth too vast for an army of men, but he was not there for the physical riches of the planet. He wanted a different kind of wealth.

His footsteps were loud as they echoed through the jewel building. He stepped as lightly as he could, drinking in every sight of the Guardian's home world. In another life he could have lived here, grown up and trained here. Lost his humanity in these very walls. See through walls. No secrets, no privacy.

His target was the room at the very back of the large building. A room that held a portal. It wasn't a portal to the otherworld, where the dead went. It was a portal to the Gods. He wanted something from them and he was sure as hell going to get it.

* * *

><p>Zion back into the ship, looking no different from when he had left. He looked at Solara blankly before stating, "Next stop Planet Vegeta."<p>

He had been gone for two hours and Trunks _had_ been counting. What was this place? It seemed he wasn't going to find out because they were leaving now and Trunks just knew that Zion was not going to say anything about it. Even if he asked.

The ship took off smoothly and Trunks decided to go back to attempting to create things from energy. He was getting better since Solara could now tell what he was trying to create. She said it wasn't his lack of concentration or imagination, it was his lack of relaxation that got in the way.

"Let it go." Came a whispered voice from behind him. He did not react knowing that it was Zion. Hands warmer and larger than his own covered his and directed them as he tried to mould the image in his mind.

"Carefully, slowly, just let it shape itself." Zion directed gently guiding Trunks' thoughts as well as his energy. He wasn't doing it for him, only showing him how. When Trunks opened his eyes, a replica of his sword lay in his hands. After his sword had been broken in his fight against the alternate androids he had fixed it but it had never quite been the same. He grinned before swiftly drawing the blade and hopping up, amused when Zion sprang backwards to avoid his reckless behaviour.

"That was nice of you." Solara said quietly as they both watched Trunks swing the sword around.

"Hn. He lacked the focus it would have taken him to create something usable. His version of the sword wouldn't have even be able to be removed from the scabbard." Zion scoffed but Solara knew that he did not mean it in the least.

I'm just glad that you're not totally abandoning him."

* * *

><p>Zion stood watching the tiny glow that had started in the centre of space. There was literally a great big hole where Planet Vegeta had once stood. The tiny glow grew larger, brighter, and slowly, within that glow the red planet began to appear.<p>

"It's beautiful." Trunks whispered, standing next to Zion. Zion shrugged, not really caring much.

By the time the large red planet was once more visible every occupant in the ship was standing in the room, watching through the large window. The Planet itself was absorbing the warmth of a sun it had not felt it decades. Too bad that Zion had to . . . . .

"Is it frozen in time?" Solara asked.

"For a time it wasn't, but I have frozen it yet again." Zion replied.

"Now what? Are we going to land?" Bulma asked from her place closest to the window.

"No." Zion said calmly, yet his eyes would not meet anyone else's.

Instead Zion disappeared only to reappear in the vast cold emptiness of space with the Planet Vegeta before him. He raised a hand, sparkling with the suggestion of Ki before the Planet suddenly exploded. Trunks hadn't seen him firing energy, nor had he felt it so it couldn't have been him could it?

This theory was proven correct when Zion reappeared on the ship looking confused and angry. "Don't tell me you want to deny me the pleasure of at least killing one Sayian." A cool, cold voice said with a slight hint of amusement.

"Josh?" Solara whispered in hoarse surprise.

"The one and only." Josh said with a wink. Solara squealed before launching herself at her brother, hugging him tightly. Her face darkened as her happiness was marred by an unwelcome realisation, "But how?"

Josh hesitated before looking at Zion. The demi Sayian sighed before turning away and facing the once again empty oblivion of space.  
>"Don't tell me that you're having second thoughts Zion." Josh said tonelessly.<p>

"No, it's not that. It's just that I've had that Planet over me my whole life and so did my mother. It all seems so pointless now. But it was a sacrifice I was willing to make." Zion replied still staring out the window.

"What do you mean?" Trunks finally asked.

"The price for the return of Josh, no strings attached as is no epic battle over Fate, was Planet Vegeta. The end of the Oozaru, who the Gods never really liked anyways." Zion explained.

Trunks blinked at him in silent surprise as his brain took in what his brother was saying, "So you mean to tell me that I've been in a ship for the past couple of months . . .for nothing! That's it, I'm never getting in a ship with you again." Trunks yelled.

"Don't be like that little Sayian, Zion was only doing what was best for himself, as always." Josh said walking towards Zion and passing Trunks on his way. As he passed his hand trailed ever so gently over Trunks' back, suggesting things that Zion was sure to back up and coheres. Hell he'd even encourage it.

Trunks growled before storming from the room with an exasperated "Fuck it, there's two of them now!"

Zion's soft chuckle of sadistic amusement followed him all the way to his room. At least they were going back to earth where he knew he was truly happy. So in some ways, Zion really did have his best interests at heart.


End file.
